UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA 

COLLEGE   OF   AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT   STATION 

BERKELEY,    CALIFORNIA 


RANGE  GRASSES  OF  CALIFORNIA 

ARTHUR  W.  SAMPSON  AND  AGNES  CHASE 


l/l1" 


nm- 


RANGE  IMPROVEMENT  STUDIES 


BULLETIN  430 

September,  1927 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  PRINTING  OFFICE 

BERKELEY,  CALIFORNIA 

1927 


PREFACE 

To  apply  the  best  methods  of  range  management,  the  stockman 
must  be  able  to  judge  the  condition  of  the  range  for  himself.  To  do 
this  he  must  know  the  principal  forage  plants,  their  period  of  life,  and 
their  requirements  as  to  reproduction.  The  illustrated  keys,  brief 
descriptions,  and  pictures  of  the  plants  should  assist  him  in  this. 

The  purpose  of  this  bulletin  is  (1)  to  familiarize  stockmen  with  the 
more  important  grasses  of  the  State  and  show  where  they  grow,  and  (2) 
to  point  out  their  forage  value  and  the  conditions  under  which  the 
different  kinds  reproduce  under  grazing.  This  is  a  necessary  pre- 
liminary to  the  development  of  state-wide  range  reseeding  methods 
now  under  investigation. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  paper  the  authors  have  made  use  of  the 
valuable  collections  and  data  in  the  grass  herbarium  of  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture.  Several  of  the  illustrations  were 
lent  by  the  Department. 

The  Authors. 


RANGE  GRASSES  OF  CALIFORNIA 

ARTHUR  W.  SAMPSON1  and  AGNES  CHASE2 


"PURE-BRED"  RANGE  FORAGE 

The  acreage  of  grazing  lands  in  California  is  several  times  greater 
than  that  upon  which  cultivated  crops  of  all  kinds  are  grown,  and  its 
efficiency  is  high  because  a  fairly  good  balance  exists  between  the 
forage  crop  of  the  summer  and  of  the  winter  range. 

The  great  importance  of  heading  the  range  herd  and  flock  with 
pure-bred  sires  is  undoubted,  but  effort  in  this  direction  is  all  but 
wasted  unless  an  ample  supply  of  "pure-bred  feed"  or  more  properly 
nutritious,  palatable,  and  abundant  forage  is  available.  It  is  astonish- 
ing what  poor  returns  livestock  give,  regardless  of  breed  or  quality, 
when  maintained  on  "scrub  range  acres." 

Unfortunately  a  large  proportion  of  the  ranges  are  more  or  less 
seriously  depleted.  Among  the  measures  planned  for  the  improvement 
of  the  grazing  grounds  of  California  are  those  concerned  with  the 
re-establishment  of  a  better  forage  cover.  Two  methods  are  open, 
(1)  bringing  back  the  better  naturally  occurring  range  plants  by  favor- 
ing seed  production  and  (2),  seeding  with  suitable  cultivated  or  intro- 
duced forage  plants. 

The  systems  of  natural  reseeding  known  as  deferred  and  as  rotation 
grazing  offer  expedient  and  practical  means  of  re  vegetation.  Good  results 
from  deferred  grazing  may  be  expected  on  any  range  of  grasses  or  other 
herbs,  for  it  concerns  a  system  of  grazing  which  provides  for  the  develop- 
ment and  planting  of  seed  of  all  species,  thereby  renewing  the  waning 
range  forage.  Rotation  grazing  provides  for  a  system  of  grazing  of 
certain  natural  types  or  subdivisions  of  a  range  in  which  the  animals 
are  not  permitted  on  the  lands  the  season  through,  but  the  grazing  is 
rotated  according  to  a  definite  plan.  The  life  history  studies  here 
reported  point  the  way  to  the  most  efficient  use  of  the  deferred  and 
rotation  grazing  systems. 


1  Associate  Professor  of  Forestry,  University  of  California,  and  Plant  Ecologist 
in  the  Experiment  Station. 

2  Associate  Agrostologist,   Bureau  of  Plant   Industry,  U.   S.   Department   of 
Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C. 


4 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA- — EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Investigations  conducted  in  various  parts  of  the  West  have  shown 
that  range  improvement  by  seeding  with  cultivated  forage  plants  is 
limited  essentially  to  moist  meadows  and  fertile  soils  where  the  annual 


Fig.  1.— Leaves  of  grass  and  of  broad-leaved  plants  marked  to  show  areas  of  growth.  A,  Grass  leaf: 
a,  base  of  blade;  b,  base  of  sheath.  B,  Same  leaf  one  week  later,  showing  growth  at  a  and  b.  C,  Base 
of  culm  in  sheath;  bud  of  potential  branch  shown  at  right.  D,  Same  culm  one  week  later,  showing 
growth  at  the  very  base.  E,  Base  of  joint  (sheath  and  culm)  of  a  grazed  culm,  showing  development  of 
branch  bud  into  a  leafy  stalk.  F-G,  Leaf  of  bluebrush,  at  one  week  interval,  showing  uniformity  of 
growth  throughout  the  entire  surface.  H-I,  Leaf  of  geranium  at  one  week  interval,  showing  uniformity 
of  growth  throughout  the  area,  similar  to  that  of  the  bluebrush  leaf. 


precipitation  is  comparatively  heavy.3  Natural  reseeding,  on  the 
other  hand,  once  the  requirements  of  growth  and  reproduction  are 
known,  is  applicable  everywhere. 

California  is  a  state  of  varied  elevations  and  of  many  climates,  of 
many  different  geological  formations  and  soils,  of  varying  amounts  of 


3  Sampson,   Arthur  W.     Range   and  pasture  management. 
1-130.    John  Wiley  &  Sons,  New  York.     1923. 


pp.   40-58.    figs. 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA  5 

precipitation  and  degrees  of  aridity.  No  one  kind  of  forage  plant, 
therefore,  occurs  over  the  entire  State,  but  each  species  is  more  or  less 
confined  to  a  particular  life  zone,  for  example,  wild  oats  on  the  winter 
or  foothill  ranges.  Before  practical  methods  of  natural  re  vegetation 
can  be  recommended,  the  period  of  growth,  the  time  of  seed  maturity, 
the  period  of  rest,  indeed  the  entire  life  cycle  of  the  important  forage 
plants  of  each  grazing  zone  must  be  ascertained.4 

Studies  for  this  purpose  are  now  being  made  on  the  winter  or  foot- 
hill ranges,  for  these  lands  are  much  in  need  of  reseeding. 

The  most  important  plants  on  the  range  are  the  grasses.  They  are 
not  necessarily  more  palatable  or  nutritious  than  are  many  broad- 
leaved  plants,  like  bur  clover  or  bluebrush,  but  everything  considered 
they  are  of  first  rank  as  pasture  feed.  Grasses  are  comparatively 
stable  in  the  amount  of  forage  which  they  produce  year  after  year; 
they  are  nutritious,  palatable,  and  wholesome,  never  causing  bloat; 
the  leafage  cures  well  on  the  roots,  and  hence  is  valuable  as  food  for 
livestock  the  year  through.  Perennial  grasses  are  generally  late  in  the 
succession  or  ecological  development,  hence  they  tend  strongly  to 
stabilize  the  yield.  Moreover,  grasses  withstand  close  and  repeated 
grazing  better  than  most  plants.  The  growing  region  of  the  leaf  is  at 
two  points,  at  the  base  of  the  blade  (fig.  1-B,a)  and  the  base  of  the 
sheath,  (fig.  1-B,b).  Growth  is  not  arrested,  therefore,  though  the 
greater  part  of  the  growing  blade  is  nipped  off.  The  main  stalk 
(culm)  when  grazed  is  necessarily  destroyed  but  the  potential  branch 
in  the  axil  of  the  upper  remaining  sheath  (fig.  1-C)  then  develops 
and  becomes  the  leafy  flower  stalk  (fig.  1-E).  In  the  leaves  of 
bluebrush  (fig.  1-F,G),  Mertensia,  Geranium  (fig.  1-H,I),  and  the 
like,  on  the  other  hand,  the  growth  is  uniform  throughout  the  leaf 
area,  so  that  when  the  upper  part  of  leaves  of  plants  of  this  kind  is 
devoured  no  further  appreciable  development  of  the  leaf  is  possible. 
Leaves  without  a  stem  (petiole)  such  as  those  of  false  dandelion  and 
foxglove,  grow  from  the  base  like  those  of  grasses,  hence  such  plants 
withstand  close,  repeated  grazing  comparatively  well. 

THE  LIFE  AND  HOME  OF  THE  PLANT 

The  native  cover  is  everywhere  composed  of  the  kinds  of  plants 
which  have  fought  for  their  lives  and  won  because  they  were  the  best 
able  to  adjust  themselves  to  the  conditions  under  which  they  lived. 
Under  natural  conditions  certain  rigid  laws  determine  the  character  of 
the  earth's  clothing. 

4  Sampson,  Arthur  W.  Native  American  forage  plants,  pp.  1-435.  figs.  1-199. 
John  Wiley  &  Sons,  New  York.     1924. 


6  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Every  plant  produces  far  more  seed  than  can  find  place  to  sprout 
and  grow.  There  is  a  continuous  struggle  among  plants  for  foothold 
and  food.  In  every  place  capable  of  supporting  plant  life,  from  bare 
rocks,  seashore,  or  swamp,  to  rich  forest  lands,  the  struggle  goes  on, 
and  those  plants  win  that  can  best  endure  hard  conditions  or  make  the 
most  of  favorable  ones.  But  while  plants  are  governed  by  the  environ- 
ment they  in  turn  work  changes  in  it.  These  changes,  slight  but  con- 
tinuous, above  and  below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  react  upon  the 
plants,  which  must  repeatedly  adjust  themselves  or  give  way  to  other 
kinds  better  fitted  to  the  changed  conditions. 

Every  Plant  Has  its  Day. — Vegetation  and  climate — wind,  rain, 
snow,  and  ice — work  together  making  soil  out  of  bare  rock.  Different 
stages  of  the  work  are  carried  on  by  different  kinds  of  plants.  Only 
certain  forms  of  plant  life  can  grow  on  soils  in  the  making.  When 
these  pioneer  plants,  together  with  the  climate,  have  produced  a  layer 
of  soil  they  are  crowded  out  of  their  homestead  by  more  highly  specialized 
forms.  These  invaders  add  a  little  humus  to  the  scant  soil  and  are  in 
turn  crowded  out  by  other  forms.  Thus  each  set  of  plants  paves  the 
way  for  its  own  destruction,  until  a  permanent  cover  is  formed,  the 
climax  vegetation  for  the  locality. 

Succession  and  Stabilization. — This  development  of  vegetation  is 
called  plant  succession.  It  refers  to  the  successive  series  of  relatively 
distinct  plant  types  in  a  given  habitat,  each  dominant  for  a  time,  then 
giving  way  to  the  next  series.  Five  typical  stages  are  represented 
diagrammatically  in  figure  2.  On  the  bare  rock  the  windborne  spores 
of  lichens  adhere  and  germinate.  Any  surface  of  bare  rock,  unless 
very  recently  exposed,  will  show  little  grayish-green  patches  of  lichens. 
The  lichens  corrode  the  surface  of  the  rock,  grains  of  dust  and  spores  of 
mosses  catch  in  the  uneven  surface  of  the  lichen  or  around  its  edges. 
The  mosses  develop  and  catch  more  dust  and  hold  water  from  rain 
and  snow.  The  tiny  cracks  produced  by  the  rootlets  of  the  lichens 
and  mosses  fill  with  water  which  freezes  and  enlarges  the  crack.  Thus 
little  by  little  the  surface  of  the  rock  is  broken  up  into  grains,  and  its 
salts  made  available  for  plant  growth,  until  a  covering  of  soil  is  formed 
and  held  by  this  first  or  pioneer  stage  (fig.  2,  A) . 

Seeds  of  all  kinds  are  blown  about  by  thousands  and  fall  by  chance 
in  all  habitats,  but  all  perish  save  the  relatively  few  that  fall  in  a  spot 
that  meets  their  requirements.  Seeds  of  shallow-rooted  annual  flower- 
ing plants  find  the  scant  soil  developed  by  the  pioneer  type  sufficient 
for  their  needs.  The  plants  of  the  first  stage  give  way  as  these  annuals 
increase  and  form  the  second  or  transitional  stage  (fig.  2,  B).  This 
type,  by  adding  humus  to  the  soil,  makes  it  more  retentive  of  water, 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OP    CALIFORNIA 


8  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

and  in  turn  gives  way  before  the  deeper-rooted  plants  which  form  the 
first  herb  stage  (fig.  2,  C). 

As  the  formation  of  soil  and  humus  continues,  its  rate  of  progress 
depending  on  climatic  conditions  and  the  luxuriance  of  plant  growth, 
the  plants  of  the  first  herb  stage  are  replaced  by  a  cover  of  perennial 
broad-leaved  herbs  and  a  few  short-lived  perennial  grasses,  which  form 
the  second  herb  stage  (fig.  2,  D).  This  cover  is  soon  invaded  by  various 
bunch  grasses  and  passes  into  the  mixed  grass-and-herb  stage  (fig.  2,  E). 

By  this  time  the  soil  is  well  decomposed  and  capable  of  retaining  a 
moisture  supply  available  to  vegetation  sufficient  to  support  the  highest 
and  most  stable  type  of  which  it  is  capable.  The  perennial  grasses  and 
other  plants  of  the  last  or  climax  stage,  therefore,  soon  take  possession 
(fig.  2,  F). 

Plant  Succession  and  Range  Management. — The  ideal  type  for 
foraging  animals  is  that  of  the  mixed  grass-and-herb  stage,  with  a  large 
proportion  of  plants  of  the  climax  type.  For  cattle  and  horses  a  pure 
grass  range  is  satisfactory,  but  for  sheep  an  admixture  of  broad-leaved 
herbs  is  preferable.  Moreover,  where  the  forage  is  fully  but  conserva- 
tively utilized  each  season,  the  mixed  grass-and-herb  stage  is  the  highest 
type  that  can  be  maintained  indefinitely.  This  type  usually  produces 
fatter  lambs  than  any  other.  The  pioneer  and  the  transitional  stages 
are  worthless  for  grazing.  The  vegetation  of  the  first  herb  stage  some- 
times furnishes  a  small  amount  of  inferior  forage  early  in  the  season. 
However,  the  soil  supporting  this  type  is  but  loosely  held  by  the  vege- 
tation and  grazing,  by  destroying  the  plant  cover,  may  lead  to  serious 
erosion,  and  thus  retard  the  succession  of  the  better  forage  types. 

Every  effort  should  be  made  to  maintain  the  range  in  a  high  succes- 
sional  stage  such  as  a  perennial  grass  cover  or  a  grass-and-herb  stage. 
This  can  be  done  only  by  avoiding  overgrazing  and  providing  for  the 
development  of  an  occasional  seed  crop.  Until  recently  overgrazing 
was  not  recognized  in  its  early  stages  but  had  to  be  judged  by  the 
more  or  less  complete  wiping  out  of  one  or  more  of  the  higher,  pro- 
ductive plant  types.  Now  small  departures  in  the  grazing  capacity  of 
the  range  are  recognized  by  the  replacement  of  the  palatable  plants  of 
the  higher  stages  by  inferior  short-lived  species,  those  capable  of  occupy- 
ing soils  packed  hard  by  excessive  trampling  and  close  grazing.5 

The  successional  stages  to  which  the  different  kinds  of  grasses  belong 
are  given,  in  so  far  as  they  are  known,  in  the  discussion  of  the  different 
species. 

5  Sampson,  Arthur  W.  Plant  succession  in  relation  to  range  management. 
U.S.  Dept.  Agr.  Bui.  791:1-76.    fig.  1-26.     1919. 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA 


THE  CHARACTERS  OF  TRUE  GRASSES 


Grasses  are  herbs 
hollow  (rarely  pithy), 


with  fibrous  roots  and  jointed  stems  (culms), 
except  at  the  nodes,  which  are  solid  (fig.  3). 
The  culms  may  be  simple  (not  branching), 
though  there  is  a  potential  branch  at  every 
node,  and,  if  the  main  culm  is  cut  off  as  in 
grazing,  one  of  the  latent  branches  will  develop. 
Or  the  culms  may  bear  branches  at  one  or  all 
the  nodes.  The  branching  habit  is  fairly 
uniform  for  any  given  species,  and  commonly 
for  a  whole  genus. 

Leaves. — The  leaves  are  borne  one  at  each 
node,  always  in  two  ranks.  They  are  parallel- 
veined  and  composed  of  two  parts,  the  sheath, 
which  surrounds  the  culm  like  a  split  tube,  and 
the  blade,  which  is  usually  strap  shaped.  At  the 
junction  of  the  sheath  and  blade,  on  the  inside, 
is  a  small  appendage,  the 
ligule  (fig.  4),  consisting  of  a 
thin  membrane  or  a  ring  of 
hairs.  These  characters  are 
peculiar  to  the  grass  family, 
and  plants  not  having  them 
are  not  true  grasses.  Clovers 
and  other  forage  plants  are, 
therefore,  not  grasses. 
Sedges,  some  of  which  are 
commonly  called  slough  grasses,  resemble 
grasses,  but  their  stems  are  solid  and  their 
leaves  are  in  three  ranks.  Some  rushes  resemble 
grasses  but  their  stems  are  not  jointed;  their 
flowers  are  in  form  like  very  minute  lilies,  borne 
in  large  or  small  heads,  not  in  two  ranks  in  spikelets,  as  in  grasses. 


Fig.  4. — Ligule. 


Fig.  3. — Simple  culm  with  roots 
and  leaves. 


Flowers  and  Seed 

Flowers. — The  flowers  of  grasses  are  very  small  and  are  reduced  to 
the  essential  organs,  a  single  ovary  with  two  styles  (one  in  corn),  bear- 
ing feathery  stigmas;  and  three  stamens  (rarely  1  or  6).  The  ovary 
contains  an  ovule  which  when  fertilized  develops  into  the  seed;  the 
stamen  consists  of  a  two-celled  anther  borne  on  a  long  filament.  The 
cells  of  the  anther  contain  innumerable  pollen  grains.     At  flowering 


10 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


time  the  cells  split  and  the  minute  pollen  grains  are  scattered  by  the 
wind.  Those  that  fall  on  the  sticky  stigmas  of  flowers  of  the  same  kind 
of  grass  germinate  and  form  a  minute  tube  which  pushes  down  through 
the  style  and  carries  their  contents  to  the  ovule,  fertilizing  it.  Each 
of  these  tiny  flowers  is  borne  in  the  axil  of  a  small  green  bract  (the 

lemma)  and  is  enveloped  in  a  smaller  inner 
bract  (the  paled).  The  flower  with  its 
lemma  and  palea  is  termed  the  floret  (fig.  5). 
The  hull  on  a  grain  of  barley,  wheat  or 
oats,  and  the  hard  shell-like  covering  of  a 
grain  of  millet  consists  of  lemma  and 
palea.  The  florets,  like  the  leaves,  are 
borne  in  two  ranks  upon  a  little  axis  (the 
rachilla).  Below  the  florets  are  two  bracts 
without  flowers  (the  glumes).  The  glumes, 
rachilla  and  florets  together,  are  called 
the  spikelet  (fig.  6).  The  spikelet  is  a 
miniature  leafy  branchlet,  with  sessile  (stem- 
less)  flowers  in  the  axil  of  all  but  the  lower 
pair  of  leaves,  the  glumes  and  lemmas  being 
altered  or  specialized  leaves. 

Spike  or  Panicle. — In  oat  grasses,  brome 

grasses,  and  blue  grasses  the  spikelets  are 

on  pedicles  (little  stems)  on  the  branches  of  a  panicle  (fig.  7).     In  some 

grasses,  timothy  and  the  millets,  for  example,  the  panicle  branches, 

and  the  pedicels  are  so  short  that  the  head  looks  like  a  spike.     In 


/Aer 


Fig.  5.— Floret. 


f/oret 


f/r-^fy/u/Tye 


-jOec//ce/ 


Fig.  6— Spikelet. 


panicle— 


SPIKLS 
Fig.  7.— Forms  of  flowering  head  (inflorescence). 


Bul.430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


11 


wheat,  barley,  rye,  and  their  wild  relatives,  the  wheat  grasses,  wild 
barleys,  and  wild  ryes,  the  spikelets  are  sessile  (without  a  stem)  on 
opposite  sides  of  a  simple  axis,  but  at  different  nodes,  forming  a  spike. 


Fig.  8. — Sod-forming  grass  showing  mode  of  propagation. 


In  grama  grasses  the  spikelets  are  also  sessile  but  close  together  on 
one  side  of  an  axis,  forming  one-sided  spikes  and  these  are  borne,  few 
to  several,  on  a  simple  main  axis. 


12 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Vegetative  Parts  of  the  Grasses 

Length  of  Life  and  Vegetative  Reproduction. — Grasses  may  be  annuals, 
— germinating,  seeding,  and  dying  in  a  single  season, — as  in  the  brome 
grasses;  or  perennials,  the  individual  plants  living  from 
two  to  several  years  and  seeding  year  after  year. 
Perennial  grasses,  besides  producing  seed,  increase 
vegetatively.  Shoots  are  formed  at  the  basal  nodes 
and  live  over  the  winter.  If  these  shoots  grow  up 
inside  the  sheaths  of  the  parent  stems,  a  bunch  grass, 
such  as  fescue,  is  formed.  If  the  shoots  push  through 
the  sheath  and  run  along  the  surface  of  the  soil,  a  mat 
is  formed  as  in  Bermuda  grass.  If  the  shoots  run 
underground  a  tough  sod  is  formed  as  in  Kentucky 
blue  grass  and  the  sod-forming  wheat  grasses.  These 
modified  stems  (rootstocks)  are  jointed  and  bear 
scales  (which  are  reduced  leaves).  Roots  develop 
from  the  lower  side  of  the 
nodes  and  leafy  shoots  from 
the  upper.  These  under- 
ground shoots  develop  into 
new  plants  which  send  out 
new  rootstocks.  In  this 
way  a  dense  network  of 
rootstocks  is  formed  below 
Bunch  grass  ground,  new  plants  develop 

crowded0  ;  L  x 

continually  and  replace  the 

old  ones  that  die  and  form 
a  permanent  sod  (fig.  8).  For  this  reason 
grasses  of  this  type  withstand  grazing  and 
trampling  better  than  bunch  grasses  (fig.  9). 
In  bunch  grasses  the  tuft  enlarges  year  by 
year  as  new  shoots  are  produced  from  the 
lower  nodes  of  each  culm,  two  or  more 
being  sent  forth  each  year  (fig.  10).  The 
dense  tufts  of  foliage  of  Idaho  fescue  and 
similar  grasses  are  composed  of  the  young 
leafy  shoots  that,  the  following  year,  are  to 
bear  the  seed  stalks.  In  very  densely  tufted 
grasses,  however,  only  a  few  of  these  shoots  actually  flower 


f  Fig.  9. 
showing 
stems  and  roots 


Diagram  of  vegetative  re- 
production of  a  bunch  grass,  showing 
a  culm  of  1926  with  leafy  shoots  at  the 
lower  nodes  (sheaths  spread  to  show 
shoots),  the  shoots  living  over  winter 
and  forming  flowering  culms  of  1927. 


BUL.  430]  RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA  13 


Value  to  Man 

Grasses,  of  all  plants,  are  the  most  important  to  man,  and  especially 
to  the  stockman.  Not  only  do  they  supply  the  principal  bread  stuffs 
of  the  world — wheat,  rye,  barley,  Indian  corn,  oats,  rice,  sorghum,  and 
millet — but  also,  by  providing  a  large  part  of  the  forage  of  grazing 
animals,  they  supply  us,  secondarily,  with  beef,  mutton,  lamb,  wool, 
leather,  dairy  products,  and  horsepower. 


14 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


KEY  TO  TRIBES  AND  GENERA 


One  uses  a  key  by  reading  contrasting  paragraphs,  la  and  lb,  2a  and  2b,  etc. 
(b  always  indicating  the  second  alternative),  and  choosing  the  one  with  which 
the  grass  in  hand  agrees.  (The  few  genera  and  species  that  might  reasonably  be 
referred  to  either  paragraph  are  looked  for  under  both).  After  following  the  key 
until  it  leads  to  a  name  the  grass  is  compared  with  the  description  on  the  page 
indicated,  the  characters  of  the  tribe,  genus  and  species,  given  in  the  keys,  being 
kept  in  mind.  A  figure  of  a  typical  spikelet  is  presented  for  each  genus  in  the 
key,  the  spikelet  number  corresponding  with  the  number  of  the  genus.  Illustra- 
tions do  not  show  proportional  magnifications. 


la 


contracted 


4a. 


4b. 


5a. 


Spikelets    on  pedicles  in  open    or 
panicles  (Fig.  7,  p.  10). 
2a.  Spikelets  with  2  to  many  florets. 
3a.  Glumes  shorter  than  the  lowest  florets; 
(see  also  Koeleria,  p.  53)  Tribe  Festu- 
ceae  (p.  20). 

Spikelets  ji~l  in.  (12-24  mm.)  long; 
lemmas  awned  or  awn-tipped  from  a 
minutely   2-toothed   apex;    (see    also 

Melica  aristata) 1.  Bromus  (p.  20). 

Spikelets  mostly  less  than  Y%  in.  (10-12 
mm.)  long  (if  longer,  culms  with  bulb- 
like base). 

Spikelets  34  to  nearly  Y%  in.  (6-10  mm.) 

long    (less    in    Melica    imperfecta), 

blades  not  having  boat-shaped  tip. 

6a.  Plants    not    forming    sod;    florets 

rounded  on  the  back. 

7a.  Glumes  not  papery;  upper  florets 

like  the  others 

2.  Festuca  (p.  29). 

7b.  Glumes  papery;  upper  florets  re- 
duced to  a  club-shaped  rudi- 
ment  3.  Melica  (p.  36). 

6b.  Plants  forming  a  tough  sod;  florets 

keeled  on  the  back 

5.  Distichlis  (p.  48). 

Spikelets  not  over  34  in.  (6  mm.)  long, 
or  if  so,  blades  having  boat-shaped 
tip. 
,.  Lemmas  5-7  nerved. 
9a.  Panicles  not  conspicuously  droop- 
ing; lemmas  somewhat  pointed, 
the    nerves    not    prominent, 
coming  together  at  the  tip.... 
4.  Poa  (p.  41). 


5b. 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


15 


13  22 


9b.  Panicles  conspicuously  drooping; 
lemmas  blunt,  the  nerves  prom- 
inent, parallel 

6.  Panicularia  (p.  49). 

8b.  Lemmas  3-nerved 

7.  Eragrostis  (p.  50). 

3b.  Glumes  as  long,  mostly  longer  than  the 
lowest  florets.     (Tribe  Aveneae,  p.  51). 
10a.  Spikelets  over  3^  in.  (12  mm.)  long. 
11a.  Florets  2  or  3;  panicle  large,  nodding. 

4.8.  Avena  (p.  51). 

lib.  Florets  several;  panicle  small,  erect. 

12.  Danthonia  (p.  56). 

10b.  Spikelets  not  oyer  34  in.  (6  mm.)  long. 
12a.  Lemmas  awnless..9.  Koeleria  (p.  53). 
12b.  Lemmas  awned. 

13a.  Lemmas  keeled,  2-toothed  at  the 
summit,  awn  arising  from  above 
the  middle. ...10.  Trisetum  (p.  54). 
13b.  Lemmas  rounded  on  the  back, 
jagged  at  the  summit,  awned  from 
below  the  middle. ..  11.  Aira  (p.  54). 
2b.  Spikelets  with  1  perfect  floret. 

14a.  Spikelets  all  alike;  glumes  not  firmer  in 
texture  than  the  lemmas.     Tribe  Agros- 
tideae  (p.  57). 
15a.  Florets    ("seed")    firm    at    maturity, 
awned  at  summit,   sharp-pointed  at 
base. 
16a.  Awn  simple  (not  divided)  a  distinct 
line  between  the  awn  and  body  of 
the  lemma. 
17a.  Awn  1-3  in.  (24-70  mm.)  long,  per- 
sistent  13.  Stipa  (p.  57). 

17b.  Awn  about  K  in-    (6  mm.)   long, 

falling  off 14.  Oryzopsis  (p.  62). 

16b.  Awn  3-divided,  no  line  between  the 

awn  and  body  of  the  lemma 

22.  Aristida  (p.  77). 

15b.  Florets    ("seed")    not    hardened,    not 
sharp-pointed  at  base. 
18a.  Glumes  longer  than  the  floret. 
19a.  Spikelets  V-shaped  or  nearly  so. 
20a.  Florets  naked  or  nearly  so  at  the 

base 15.  Agrostis  (p.  64). 

20b.  Florets  with  a  tuft  of  soft  hairs 

at  the  base 

16.  Calamagrostis  (p.  67). 

19b.  Spikelets  2-horned,  from  the  abrupt 
points  of  glumes;  panicles  dense, 
spike-like 18.  Phleum  (p.  71). 


16 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


18b.  Glumes  shorter  than  the  floret   (if 
nearly  as  long  the  spikelet  falling 
entire). 
21a.  Spikelets  falling  entire,  that  is,  the 

glumes  not  remaining 

17.  Cinna  (p.  71). 

21b.  Spikelets   not   falling   entire,    the 
florets  falling  at  maturity  leaving 
the  glumes  on  the  pedicel. 
22a.  Lemmas  1-nerved,  awnless;  pan- 
icles as  broad  as  long 

19.  Sporobolus  (p.  72). 

22b.  Lemmas  3-nerved;  panicles  nar- 
row, or  if  broad,  the  lemmas 
long-awned. 
23a.  Plants  mostly  less  than  1  ft. 

(30  cm.)  tall 

20.  Muhlenbergia  (p.  74). 

23b.  Plants    2-5    ft.    (60-150    cm.) 

tall 21.  Epicampes  (p.  76). 

14b.  Spikelets  of  two  kinds  in  pairs,  one  sessile 

and  perfect,  the  other   pediceled    and 

sterile;  glumes  firmer  than  the  floret. 

Tribe  Andropogoneae  (p.  89). 

24a.  Panicle  soft,  silky,  the  spikelet  partly 

hidden  in  long  hairs  of  joints 

31.  Andropogon  (p.  90). 

24b.  Panicle  not  silky,  spikelets  not  hidden. 

32.  Holcus  (p.  90). 

lb.  Spikelets  sessile  on  the  axis   (Fig.  7,  p.  10) 

forming  spikes. 
.  25a.  Spikelets  not  falling  from  the  axis  entire, 
the  florets  falling  from  the  glumes  or  the 
axis  disjointing  with  spikelets   attached 
(falling  entire  in  Beckmannia  with  numer- 
ous spikes). 
26a.  Spikelets  large,  on  opposite  sides  of  the 
axis;  spike  single.     Tribe  Hordeae  (p. 
78). 
27a.  Axis    of   spike   not    breaking   up,    the 
florets   falling   from    the    glumes    at 
maturity. 
28a.  Spikelets  single  at  each  node  of  the 
axis. 
29a.  Spikelets   placed  flatwise   to   the 

axis;  both  glumes  present 

23.  Agropyron  (p.  79). 

29b.  Spikelets  placed  edgewise  to  the 

axis;  first  glume  wanting 

25.  Lolium  (p.  84). 

28b.  Spikelets  2-4  at  the  nodes 

24.  Elymus  (p.  82). 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA 


17 


27b.  Axis  of  spike  breaking  up  at  maturity 
with    a    spikelet    attached    to    each 

joint;  spikes  bristly 

26.  Hordeum  (p.  85). 

26b.  Spikelets  small,  on  one  side  of  the  axis 
(Fig.  7),  forming  small  1-sided  spikes, 
the  spikes  several  to  many. 
30a.  Spikes   few   to   several,   spikelets  not 
circular. 

31a.  Spikes  spaced  along  the  axis 

27.  Bouteloua  (p.  86). 

31b.  Spikes  clustered  at  the  summit  like 
sticks  of  a  fan 28.  Chloris  (p.  87) • 

30b.  Spikes  numerous   along  a  main  axis; 

spikelets  nearly  circular 

29.  Beckmannia  (p.  88). 

25b.  Spikelets  in  clusters  of  3  on  opposite  sides 
of  the  axis,  the  clusters  falling  entire  from 
the  axis 30.  Hilaria  (p.  89). 


18 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


OUTLINE  OF  GRASS  TRIBES 

Showing  type  of  spikelet  characteristic  of  each,  and  diagram  of  head 

(inflorescence) . 


A.     FESCUE  TRIBE  (FESTUCEAE) 

Spikelets  few  to  several  flowered, 
laterally  compressed. 

Florets  falling  from  the /glumes. 

Glumes  relatively  small. 

Lemmas  awned  from  the  tip  or  just 
below  it. 

Inflorescence   an   open   or  narrow 
panicle. 

(Brome  grasses,  fescues,  melic 

grasses,  blue  grasses,  etc.) 


B.     BARLEY  TRIBE  (HORDEAE) 

Spikelets  1-  to  many  -  flowered, 
sessile  on  opposite  sides  of  a  jointed 
rachis,  forming  a  spike. 

Rachis  rather  than  spikelets  spe- 
cialized. 

Inflorescence  a  solitary  spike. 

(Wheat  and  wheat  grasses,  bar- 
ley and  barley  grasses,  rye  and  rye 
grasses,  etc.) 


C.    OAT  TRIBE  (AVENEAE) 

Like  Fescue  tribe  but  glumes  en- 
larged and  florets  fewer  in  nu$nber. 

Lemmas  awned  from  the  back  (not 
developed  in  Koeleria). 

(Wild  oats,   June  grass,   trise- 

tums,  hair  grasses,  etc.) 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


19 


D.   TIMOTHY  TRIBE  (AGROSTIDEAE) 

Like  Festuceae  reduced  to  its  low- 
est terms;  spikelets,  1-flowered. 

Lemmas  awnless  or  awned,  the  awn 
from  back  or  summit. 

Inflorescence   an   open   or   narrow 
panicle. 

(Needle  grasses,  redtops,   reed 

grasses,  timothy,  etc.) 


E.    GRAMA  TRIBE  (CHLORIDEAE) 

Spikelets  1-few  flowered,  sessile  on 
one  side  of  the  rachis. 

All  but  the  lowest  floret  commonly 
sterile  and  variously  modified. 

Inflorescence  of  2  to  many  1-sided 
spikes,  spaced  along  a  main  axis  or 
clustered  at  its  summit. 

(Grama  grasses,   chloris  grass, 

Beckmann  grass.) 


F.     CURLY  MESQUITE  TRIBE 

(NAZIEAE) 

Spikelets  3  together,  one  perfect 
and  two  staminate,  sessile  and  ap- 
pressed  to  the  axis,  forming  a  spike, 
the  three  falling  together,  attached  to 
each  other. 

G.  SORGHUM  TRIBE 
(ANDROPOGONEAE) 

Spikelets  paired,  one  perfect  and 
sessile,  the  other  sterile  and  pedicellate, 
borne  on  a  jointed  rachis. 

Fertile  spikelets  with  one  perfect 
terminal  floret  and  a  sterile  lemma 
below;  falling  with  joints  of  rachis  and 
sterile  pediceled  spikelet  attached. 

Glumes  hardened,  inclosing  the 
florets. 

(Johnson  grass,  plume  grass.) 


20  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


FESCUE-BLUE  GRASS-BROME  GRASS  TRIBE  (FESTUCEAE) 

This  tribe,  which  embraces  the  all-important  fescues,  blue  grasses, 
and  brome  grasses,  includes  the  best  range  plants'  in  the  state.  The 
outstanding  characters  of  the  tribe  are:  Spikelets  several  to  many- 
flowered,  pediceled  in  open  or  narrow  panicles;  florets  falling  from  the 
glumes  at  maturity;  culms  simple. 

BROME  GRASSES  (BROMUS) 

Twenty-two  brome  grasses  are  found  in  the  state,  .of  which  13  are 
annuals  and  9  are  perennials.  The  annuals  are  valuable  as  food  for 
livestock  especially  on  the  winter  ranges  where  they  often  grow  most 
abundantly,  but  the  most  of  them  must  be  pastured  before  the  seed 
matures.  A  few  produce  an  abundance  of  forage  of  fair  quality.  Some 
are  troublesome  invaders,  and  at  maturity  are  often  injurious  to  stock. 
The  perennial  species  grow  over  a  wider  elevational  range  than  the 
annuals  and  are  most  abundant  in  the  yellow  pine  type  or  transition 
zone.  They  are  mostly  of  rank  growth  and  hence  are  not  always  fully 
utilized  by  sheep.  Most  of  the  annual  species  invade  the  ranges  in  the 
early  stages  of  depletion  but  they  give  way  somewhat  readily  to*  per- 
ennial vegetation.  The  perennial  bromes  make  their  appearance  com- 
paratively early  in  the  establishment  of  a  perennial  plant  cover,  usually 
preceding  the  blue  grasses,  fescues,  and  needle  grasses.7  For  effective 
re  vegetation  all  brome  grasses,  because  of  their  large,  light  seeds, 
require  the  trampling  of  grazing  animals  to  bury  the  seed  and  insure 
germination. 

The  domesticated  hay  and  pasture  plant  called  Hungarian  or 
Smooth  Brome  Grass  (Bromus  inermis)  is  known  to  most  stockmen. 
The  most  valuable  native  species  are:  Large-flowered  brome  grass, # 
rescue  brome  grass,  narrow-flowered  brome  grass,  and  soft  cheat. 
Several  closely  related  species  are  considered  in  the  discussion  of  these. 
Three  annuals  are  injurious  to  range  livestock. 

Description  of  Brome  Grasses. — The  bromes  are  relatively  coarse 
grasses   growing  in  small  clumps,  short-lived  perennials  or  annuals  ;\ 
blades  relatively  wide  and  soft;  spikelets  larger  than  those  of  any  other  \ 
genus,  the  lemmas  awned;  the  seed  is  large,  thin  and  chaffy;  in  the  three 
injurious  annuals  it  is  sharp-pointed  at  the  base. 


7  Sampson,  Arthur  W.     Plant  succession  in  relation  to  range  management. 
U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Bui.  791:28,  33.     1919. 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


21 


KEY   TO    SPECIES 

la.   Plants  perennial  (or  B.  unioloides  a  winter  annual). 
2a.   Spikelets  flattened,  the  florets  keeled. 

3a.   Florets  distinctly  awned 1.  B.  carinatus. 

3b.    Florets  pointed  or  awn-tipped  only 2.  B.  unioloides. 

2b.   Spikelets  not  flattened,  the  florets  rounded  on  the  back 3.  B.  vulgaris. 

lb.    Plants  annual. 

4a.   Spikelets  and  florets  oval;  seeds  blunt  at  base 4.  B.  hordeaceus. 

4b.   Spikelets  V-shaped;  florets   long   and  narrow;  seeds  sharp-pointed.     In- 
jurious bromes  (Class  II.     p.  27) 


Perennial  Brome  Grasses 

1.  Large-flowered  brome  grass  (Bromus  carinatus)  is  2-3J^  ft. 
(60-100  cm.)  tall,  with  stout  culms,  abundant  rather  velvety  foliage, 
the  blades  flat  and  rough  margined,  and  usually  large  open  panicles,  the 

large  purplish  spikelets  borne 
toward  the  ends  of  the  long 
spreading  branches.  Dwarfed 
plants  commonly  have  narrow 
panicles.     (Fig.  11). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — 
This  is  most  abundant  on  the 
Pacific  slope,  where  it  occurs 
between  elevations  of  about  2,000 
to  10,000  feet.  At  higher  eleva- 
tions the  plants  are  often  only 
1  ft.  tall.  The  species  thrives 
best  in  the  yellow  pine  type  or 
on  lands  of  like  elevation.  Ex- 
cept in  small  areas  where  it  is  the 
dominant  grass,  the  stand  is 
scattered.  The  most  common 
habitats  are  open  woodland, 
grassy  hillsides  where  the  soil  is 
good,  and  well-drained  parks. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduc- 
tion.— The  herbage  of  the  large- 
flowered   brome   grass  is   highly 

ll.-Large-flowered  brome  grass  (Bromus  relished      by      livestock.       Horses 

carinatus).  anci  cattle  devour  a  fair  portion 


22  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

of  the  flower  stalks  when  they  are  succulent,  but  sheep  graze  the  herbage 
closely  only  when  green.  The  large  seed  heads  are  relished  by  all 
foraging  animals,  for  they  normally  contain  much  nutritious  grain.  A 
luxuriant  second-growth  of  herbage  is  available  in  the  autumn  where  the 
area  is  grazed  once  early  in  the  season.  This  is  the  choicest  of  feed  and 
forms  excellent  grazing  for  sheep,  being  especially  valuable  before 
marketing  the  lambs.  The  seed  begins  to  ripen  early  in  July  in  the 
lower  elevations  and  by  late  August  it  has  been  cast  in  the  more  elevated 
types.     Reproduction  is  good  under  favorable  pasture  conditions. 

Large  mountain  brome  grass  (Bromus  marginatus)  is  very  similar 
to  large-flowered  brome-grass,  but  has  smooth  sheaths  and  spikelets 
with  shorter  awns.  This  species  grows  in  habitats  similar  to  those  of 
large-flowered  brome  grass,  but  occurs  also  in  the  mountains  of  the 
state  east  of  the  Sierra  range.  In  forage  value  and  reproduction  it  is 
practically  identical  with  large-flowered  brome  grass. 

Narrow-leaf  brome  grass  {Bromus  subvelutinus)  is  shorter  and 
rather  stiff,  the  foliage  downy  but  rough  to  the  touch,  the  blades 
narrower  and  with  inrolled  margins;  panicles  narrow,  upright. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  grass  is  found  in  the  foothills  and 
low  mountains  between  elevations  of  about  3,000-7,500  feet.  In 
abundance  it  is  similar  to  that  of  large-flowered  brome  grass,  but  is 
more  strictly  confined  to  the  yellow-pine  type  of  lands  or  those  of  similar 
elevation.  The  best  stands  occur  on  moderately  dry  wooded  hills,  well 
drained  parks,  and  meadows. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Narrow-leaf  brome  grass  is  grazed 
closely  by  cattle,  horses,  and  sheep.  The  leafage  is  mostly  basal.  The 
seed  heads,  when  well  filled,  are  eagerly  sought  by  cattle  and  horses. 
The  seed  matures  early  in  July,  an  abundance  of  seed  being  produced 
in  favorable  seasons.  Under  wise  grazing  this  species  may  be  expected 
to  increase  appreciably  in  abundance. 

2.  Rescue  brome  grass  (Bromus  unioloides)  is  a  short-lived  peren- 
nial or  winter  annual,  2-V/i  ft.  (60-100  cm.)  tall,  with  long  rough 
blades  and  a  large  drooping  panicle  (small  and  narrow  in  dwarfed 
plants)  of  grayish  green  spikelets.     (Fig.  12). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Rescue  brome  grass  is  introduced,  prob- 
ably from  the  Andes,  and  is  confined  to*  the  southern  half  of  California. 
It  is  a  plant  of  the  foothills,  occurring  from  sea-level  to  an  elevation  of 
about  3,500  feet.  The  best  growth  is  on  rich,  light  soils  of  medium 
moisture.     Under  such  conditions  growth  is  rapid  and  luxuriant. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Wherever  rescue  brome  grass 
grows  well  it  is  highly  esteemed  both  for  pasture  and  hay.  In  Texas 
and  elsewhere  in  the  South  attempts  have  been  made  to  extend  its  range 


Bul.430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


23 


Fig.    12.— Rescue  brome  grass   (Bromus 
unioloides) . 


by  seeding,  but  this  has  been  only  partly 
successful.  All  classes  of  stock  are  fond 
of  the  leafage  and  seed  heads,  especially 
where  the  winter  growth  is  good.  The 
seed  ripens  in  May  and  June,  a  large  seed 
crop  being  produced  under  favorable 
conditions.  The  plant  is  normally  a 
winter  annual,  but  if  it  is  grazed  before 
seeding  it  lives  for  several  seasons,  pro- 
ducing a  large  amount  of  herbage.  It  is 
not  improbable  that  the  range  of  rescue 
brome  grass  may  be  extended  appreciably 
in  southern  California  by  seeding.  The 
seed  should  be  scattered  before  the 
autumn  rains  begin. 

3.    Narrow  -  flowered    brome    grass 
{Bromus   vulgaris)   is  23^-4  ft.    (75-120 
cm.)   tall,  rather  slender  with  sparsely- 
downy    foliage    and    somewhat    narrow 
nodding  panicles  of  long  narrow  spikelets.     (Fig.  13). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  species  occurs  throughout  the  state 
from  sea  level  to  about  7,000  feet;  accordingly  it  is  of  value  as  stock 
food  both  on  the  winter  and  the  summer  ranges.  The  largest  herbage 
production,  however,  is  at  intermediate 
elevations,  where  it  is  sometimes  the 
dominant  species,  though  pure  stands  are 
seldom  seen  even  under  the  best  condi- 
tions. It  is  moderately  tolerant  of  shade 
but  grows  commonly,  also,  on  exposed 
hillsides  and  moderately  moist  flats. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The 
large  proportion  of  rather  fine  soft  leaves, 
as  compared  with  the  culms,  is  charac- 
teristic of  narrow-flowered  brome  grass 
and  the  relish  with  which  they  are  con- 
sumed by  all  classes  of  livestock  gives  the 
plant  high  rank  as  forage.  In  palatability 
and  the  amount  of  forage  produced  it  is 
second  only  to  large-flowered  brome  grass. 
A  valuable  aftermath  is  produced  where 
the  lands  are  grazed  early  in  the  season. 
The  seed  habits  are  fairly  strong  and 


Fig.  13. — Narrow-flowered  brome  grass 
{Bromus  vulgaris). 


24  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

reproduction  is  rapid  under  favorable  conditions.  The  seed  crop  begins 
to  ripen  early  in  June  on  the  lowest  elevations,  as  in  Marin  County,  and 
by  August  1  it  has  ripened  and  dropped  in  the  more  elevated  lands. 

Woodland  brome  grass  (Bromus  laevipes)  is  not  so  tall  as  narrow- 
flowered  brome  grass  and  has  a  longer,  more  drooping  panicle.  Tall 
brome  grass  (B.  cjrandis)  stouter  and  as  much  as  5  ft.  tall;  and  Orcutt 
brome  grass  (B .  orcuttianus) ,  with  stiff  culms  and  the  foliage  crowded 
at  the  base,  are  closely  related  to  narrow-flowered  brome  grass.  They 
occur  from  sea  level  in  the  Coast  Range,  to  elevations  typical  of  the 
yellow  pine  type,  known  as  the  transition  zone.  They  grow  in  associa- 
tion with  large-flowered  and  with  narrow-flowered  brome  grasses  but 
are  less  abundant.  In  forage  value  and  in  the  methods  of  procuring 
revegetation,  they  are  similar  to  the  associated  brome  grasses  named. 

Suksdorf  brome  grass  (Bromus  suksdorfii) ,  (also  closely  related  to 
narrow-flowered  brome  grass)  with  smooth  foliage  and  narrow,  rather 
dens' e  panicles,  is  chiefly  a  mountain  grass  occurring  between  elevations 
of  about  5,000  and  10,000  feet.  It  occupies  rough  wooded  areas  and 
exposed  slopes,  a  large  proportion  of  which  are  not  readily  accessible  to 
stock.  While  the  leafage  is  palatable  to  grazing  animals,  the  plant 
grows  so  sparsely  over  the  greater  part  of  the  range  as  to  yield  but  a 
small  amount  of  herbage. 

Annual  Brome  Grasses 

The  annual  brome  grasses  considered  from  a  forage  viewpoint  are  of 
two  classes,  (1)  those  which  are  grazed  with  impunity  regardless  of  the 
season,  and  (2)  those  which  are  objectionable  on  the  range  at  some 
stage  of  their  growth,  by  causing  mechanical  injury  to  animals. 

Class  I 

4.  Soft  cheat  or  chess  (Bromus  hordeaceus)  stools  freely,  and  forms 
dense  tufts  10-30  in.  (25-75  cm.)  tall,  with  velvety  foliage  and  a  rather 
dense  oblong  panicle  of  soft  minutely  downy  spikelets.  Dwarfed  plants 
do  not  stool  but  may  produce  seed  when  only  5  or  6  in.  (12  to  15  cm.) 
tall.     (Fig.  14). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Soft  cheat  is  a  native  of  southern  Europe. 
It  is  found  throughout  the  state  but  is  most  abundant  in  the  coastal 
region.  The  elevational  range  is  from  sea  level  to  about  4,000  feet.  It 
inhabits  inferior  clay  loam  and  sandy  soils  that  are  well  drained.  Over- 
grazing and  heavy  packing  of  the  soil  usually  favor  the  invasion  of  this 
grass. 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  25 


Fig.  14. — Soft_cheat  or  chess  (Bromus  hordeaceus) . 


Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — In  some  localities  soft  cheat  is  cut 
for  hay.  As  a  pasture  plant  it  is  the  best  of  the  annual  brome  grasses, 
and  early  in  the  season  the  leafage  is  grazed  with  moderate  relish  by 
all  classes  of  livestock.  The  yield  of  hay  of  mature  stands  is  sometimes 
three-fourths  of  a  ton  to  the  acre.  In  some  localities  it  has  taken 
possession  of  depleted  range  lands. 

"Since  the  forage  of  soft  cheat  is  produced  exceptionally  early,  it  is 
of  special  value  at  that  season,  and  the  leaf  blades  are  then  eagerly 
eaten.  There  is  diversity  of  opinion  among  stockmen  as  to  the  nutri- 
tive qualities  of  this  grass.  Many  claim  that  it  is  a  valuable  feed  when 
supplemented  with  other  species  of  grasses  and  weeds,  but  owing  to  its 
'washy/  succulent  nature  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  it  is  not  conducive 
to  putting  on  solid  fat.  Miners  say  that  their  pack  animals  fatten 
quickly  upon  it  when  left  at  leisure,  but  when  grazing  upon  it  exclusively 
they  are  unable  to  work  without  excessive  loss  of  flesh.  After  the  seeds 
have  ripened  the  plant  is  of  very  little  forage  value."8 

8  Sampson,  Arthur  W.  Important  forage  plants,  their  life  history  and  forage 
value.    U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Bui.  545:25.     1917. 


26  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

The  seed  crop  ripens  in  May  and  June,  a  large  amount  having  strong 
germinating  power  being  produced. 

Cheat  (Bromus  secalinus)  is  taller  than  soft  cheat,  with  smooth 
sheaths,  and  a  more  open,  drooping  panicle,  and  smooth  plump  spikelets. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — It  is  an  introduction  from  Europe  and  is 
something  of  a  weed  on  the  range  and  in  cultivated  fields. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — It  is  a  plant  of  the  foothills,  mostly 
in  the  northern  half  of  the  state.  During  the  winter  and  until  about 
March  15  the  herbage  furnishes  a  large  amount  of  forage  of  fair  quality 
for  all  grazing  animals.  Later  the  leafage  dries  up,  the  numerous  culms 
become  fibrous  and  unpalatable,  and  the  stand  is  distinctly  inferior  in 
every  way.  Often  cheat  grows  so  dense  as  to  exclude  such  valuable 
plants  as  alfilaria,  bur  clover,  and  the  better  grasses.  An  unusually 
large  amount  of  seed  is  produced  which,  because  of  its  early  maturity 
(it  is  usually  scattered  by  May  15),  tends  to  maintain  the  density  of 
the  cover  against  all  but  perennial  species. 

In  some  localities  the  belief  prevails  that  cheat  is  a  degenerate, 
scrubby  wheat,  its  characters  being  derived  from  the  presence  of  alkali 
rising  to  the  soil's  surface.  Others  contend  that  this  inferior  wheat" 
is  the  result  of  the  deterioration  of  the  original  high-yielding  cultivated 
strain.  It  is  a  distinct  species  and  is  no  more  variable  than  other  species 
of  brome  grasses. 

Downy-sheathed  brome  grass  (Bromus  commutatus) ,  closely 
resembling  cheat,  but  with  downy  culms  and  less  plump  spikelets,  is  a 
somewhat  common,  rather  "stemmy"  plant  which  produces  only  a  small 
amount  of  leafage.  It  occupies  mostly  inferior  soils  in  the  lower  foot- 
hills. 

The  forage  value  of  this  species  is  not  nearly  equal  to  that  of  soft 
cheat,  both  because  grazing  animals  are  not  so  fond  of  it  and  because 
the  yield  is  small.     The  seed  matures  in  May  and  June. 

Rattlesnake  brome  grass  {Bromus  brizaeformis)  differs  from  the 
others  in  having  awnless  spikelets  %-l  in.  (18-25  mm.)  long,  with 
broad  inflated  florets.  These  large  drooping  spikelets  rattle  against 
each  other  at  maturity,  hence  the  common  name.  Rattlesnake  brome 
grass  is  an  introduction  from  Europe.  It  is  a  plant  of  the  foothills, 
where  it  is  often  associated  with  cheat  grass.  It  grows  sparsely,  how- 
ever, over  the  greater  part  of  the  range.  The  forage  is  grazed  with 
moderate  relish  early  in  the  season,  until  the  seeds  are  fairly  well  formed. 
In  palatability  the  herbage  is  similar  to  that  of  cheat  grass.  It  is  essen- 
tially a  winter  annual,  that  is,  the  seed  germinates  in  the  autumn  and 
growth  continues  through  the  winter.     The  seed  matures  in  June. 


Bul.430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


27 


Class  II 


Red  brome  grass,  needle  brome  grass,  and  June  brome  grass  have 
long-awned  florets  which  cause  mechanical  injury  to  livestock,  in  rare 
instances  causing  death. 


Fig.  15. — Red  brome  grass  (Bromus  rubens). 


Red  brome  grass  (Bromus  rubens),  sometimes  called  "broncho" 
brome  grass,  grows  from  6-15  in.  (15-38  cm.)  tall,  in  small  tufts,  with 
scant  foliage  and  dense  bristly  reddish  panicles,  somewhat  resembling 
heads  of  barley.     It  is  a  native  of  southern  Europe.     (Fig.  15). 


28 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Needle  brome  grass  (Bromus  rigidus),  known  also  as  "ripgut" 
and  "devilgrass,"  is  taller,  sometimes  2  ft.  (60  cm.)  in  height,  with 
drooping  looser  panicles  of  long-awned  spikelets,  the  floret  with  its 

rigid  awn  sometimes  3  in.  (7.5 
cm.)  long.  The  florets  of  this 
and  of  red  brome  grass  are  sharp 
pointed  at  the  base  and  at 
maturity  are  hard  and  rigid. 
(Fig.  16). 

June  brome  grass  (Bromus 
tectorum)  is  rarely  over  18  in.  (45 
cm.)  tall.  It  is  downy  through- 
out with  conspicuously  drooping 
panicles  of  narrow  spikelets, 
much  smaller  than  those  of  the 
two  other  injurious  brome 
grasses. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — 
These  species  are  most  abundant 
on  the  winter  ranges  where  they 
occur  throughout  the  state,  sel- 
dom growing  in  dense  stands 
even  at  elevations  where  yellow 
pine  occurs.  They  inhabit  soils 
of  various  origin  and  moisture 
conditions  but  are  most  abundant 
on  clayey  lands  of  low  fertility 
where  the  better  perennial  species 
do  not  flourish.  Red  brome 
grass  forms  the  densest  cover  and  often  occupies  areas  of  hundreds  of 
acres  to  the  practical  exclusion  of  other  plants.  "Ripgut"  and  June 
brome  grass  seldom  form  pure  stands  but  they  frequently  constitute  a 
fair  proportion  of  the  composite  type.  All  are  rapid-growing,  com- 
paratively drought-enduring  species. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Germination  takes  place  promptly 
in  the  autumn  following  the  rains.  By  about  the  middle  of  March  a 
goodly  proportion  of  the  heads  have  formed,  many  of  which  early  in 
April  have  mature  seeds.  From  then  until  the  seeds  are  cast  mechanical 
injury  may  occur  to  any  class  of  stock.  The  sharp-pointed  florets  lodge 
between  the  teeth,  in  the  gums,  the  back  of  the  tongue,  and  the  throat, 
the  barbed  awns  serving  to  work  them  into  the  flesh,  causing  great 
suffering  and  loss  in  weight  and  condition.     Sometimes  the  intestines 


Fig.  16. — Ripgut  (Bromus  rigiius). 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  29 

are  pierced,  causing  death.  Cattle  sometimes  develop  a  disease  called 
"big  jaw,"  caused  by  the  awns  accumulating  in  a  great  mass  in  the 
throat  and  behind  the  tongue.  Cowmen  make  it  their  business  in  late 
spring  and  in  the  summer  to  remove  from  throat  and  tongue  these 
"devil  prongs,"  as  they  are  called.  The  awns  also  get  into  the  eyes 
and  they  frequently  pierce  the  skin,  especially  of  sheep.  Until  the 
panicles  are  fairly  well  developed  the  large  annual  growth  of  herbage 
of  red  brome  grass  and  June  brome  grass  is  cropped  with  good  results 
by  all  foraging  animals,  these  plants  sometimes  being  second  to  no 
others  in  importance  in  the  fore  part  of  the  growing  season.  The  leafage 
of  needle  brome  grass,  on  the  other  hand,  is  harsh  and  tough  even  when 
young,  hence  is  grazed  very  little  and  never  by  choice  at  any  time.  On 
many  ranges,  notably  those  overstocked,  the  invasion  of  needle  brome 
grass  is  so  rapid  and  the  stand  so  dense  that  stockmen  have  become 
alarmed  and  have  requested  special  investigation  with  a  view  to  holding 
in  check  this  "devil"  grass. 

In  certain  sections  of  southern  California  cattle  no  longer  fatten  on 
grass  because  of  the  decline  in  the  stand  of  the  better  forage  plants  and 
the  attending  mechanical  injury  of  needle  brome  grass.  Moreover, 
sheepmen  have  had  to  abandon  ranges  heavily  infested  with  this  grass. 
The  amount  of  seed  produced  by  these  undesirable  plants  is  large, 
especially  in  red  brome  grass  and  "ripgut."  Ranges  infested  with  these 
injurious  species  require  skillful  management.  The  grazing  plans  must 
provide  for  the  production  and  planting  of  the  seed  of  the  better  species. 

FESCUE  GRASSES  (FESTUCA) 

Of  the  twenty-six  fescue  grasses  credited  to  the  state  thirteen  are 
perennials,  but  only  about  seven  are  of  much  value  as  forage.  None  of 
the  annual  species  are  pasture  plants  of  first  rank.  Some  of  the  fescues 
are  among  the  most  valuable  of  forage  grasses,  and  being  commonly 
associated  with  the  perennial  blue  grasses,  are  moderately  high  in  the 
stage  of  plant  development.  The  annuals,  generally  called  squirrel 
grasses,  are  essentially  weeds  and  as  such  are  often  gregarious  in  waste 
places,  and  especially  on  heavily  packed  soils  and  excessively  grazed 
areas.  The  best  fescues  produce  an  abundance  of  basal  leafage  which 
is  comparatively  fine  and  therefore  more  palatable  to  sheep  and  goats. 

The  most  valuable  lands  are:  Idaho  fescue,  western  fescue,  spiked 
fescue,  mountain  bunch  grass,  bearded  fescue,  and  California  fescue. 

Description  of  Fescue  Grasses. — These  are  annual  or  perennial  bunch 
grasses,  with  simple  culms,  mostly  narrow,  often  inrolled  blades  and 
open  or  narrow  panicles. 


30 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


KEY   TO    SPECIES 
la.    Plants  perennial. 

2a.    Blades  inrolled  or  very  narrow,  or  if  nearly  34  in.  (6  mm.  wide)  not  stiff 
and  rough. 
3a.   Lemmas  awned;  foliage  fine,  rolled. 

4a.    Blades  rough,  rather  stiff 1.  F.  idahoensis. 

4b.    Blades  smooth,  soft 2.  F.  occidentalis . 

3b.    Lemmas  awn-tipped;  blades  mostly  flat 3.  F.  viridula. 

2b.    Blades  flat  or  coarse  and  with  inrolled  margins. 

5a.   Lemmas  long-awned;  blades  flat,  soft,  y±-hA  in.  (6-9  mm.)  wide.... 

4.  F.  subulata. 

5b.    Lemmas  awnless  or  sharp-pointed  only;  foliage  coarse,  harsh. 

6a.   Panicle  very  open 5.  F.  californica. 

6b.   Panicle  spike-like 6.  F.  confinis. 

lb.    Plants  annual 7.  F.  megalura  and  other  annuals. 


Perennial  Fescues 

1.     Idaho  fescue   (Festuca  idahoensis)  is  very  densely  tufted,  the 

fine  foliage  rough,  and,  in 
exposed  situations,  com- 
monly somewhat  curled ; 
panicles  mostly  narrow,  the 
nearly  simple  branches 
spikelet-bearing  almost  to 
the  base;  spikelets  short- 
awned,  sometimes  tinged 
with  dull  purple.  (Fig.  17). 
Distribution  and  Habi- 
tat.— Idaho  fescue  occurs 
throughout  the  state  be- 
tween elevations  of  about 
1,000  and  7,500  feet.  The 
most  luxuriant  growth  and 
best  stands  are  on  arid 
lands,  notably  in  the  yellow- 
pine-sugar-pine  type,  or  in 
the  arid  transition  life  zone. 
It  is  a  characteristic  grass 
of  exposed  hills  and  moun- 
tain slopes,  where  it  some- 
times constitutes  the  dom- 
inant   vegetation.      Bunch 

Fig.  17—  Idaho  fescue  (Festuca  idahoensis) .  wheat       graSSeS       and       blue 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


31 


grasses  are  commonly  the  associated  plants.     It  makes  a  good  growth 
on  soils  of  average  fertility  and  moisture. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Idaho  fescue  forms  an  important 
part  of  the  forage  for  all  herbivorous  animals,  including  deer,  elk,  and 
other  big  game.  The  leafage  is  consumed  closest  early  in  the  season, 
for  as  the  seed  matures  the  herbage  becomes  rather  harsh  and  unpalat- 
able. Even  then  horses  and  cattle  take  a  fair  proportion  of  the  herbage, 
but  sheep  prefer  a  more  succulent  menu.  After  the  autumn  rains  a 
secondary  growth  is  produced  and  this,  with  the  old  leafage,  made 
tender  by  the  moisture,  is  grazed  with  good  results  by  all  grazing 
animals.  A  seed  crop  of  moderate  abundance  and  fair  germination 
strength  is  produced.9  The  seed  ripens  in  June  at  elevations  of  about 
1,000  feet,  but  at  higher  altitudes  not  until  early  August.  After  the 
seed  falls  it  is  good  practice  to  graze  the  pasture  in  order  to  tramp  in 
the  seed,  the  better  to  insure  germination  and  establishment. 

Alpine  Fescue  {Festuca  supina)  is  closely  related  to  Idaho  fescue 
but  is  rarely  more  than  6  in.  (15  cm.)  tall,  in  very  dense  tufts  or  hemi- 
spheric cushions  of  fine  hard  usually  grayish-green  foliage,  the  culms 
about  twice  as  long  as  the  foliage,  or  at  high  altitudes,  scarcely  exceeding 
it;  panicles  simple,  very  narrow.  This  is  our  smallest  species.  It  is 
strictly  alpine,  occupying  lands  near  and  well  above  timberline.  On 
Mt.  Whitney  it  occurs  as  much  as  1,500  feet  above  timberline  but  it 
grows  only  1  or  2  in.  high.     The  leafage  is  eaten  with  relish  by  livestock 

but  it  is  too  small  and  sparse  to  be  listed  as 
an  important  forage  plant.  Because  of  the 
short  growing  season  of  the  alpine  region 
the  production  of  seed  is  uncertain  and  small 
for  a  single  plant.  The  flower  stalks  some- 
times do  not  appear  until  late  in  September 
and  it  is  doubtful  if  they  then  produce 
fertile  seed.     Ordinarily  the  seed  does  not 

fji  III      ripen  until  October. 

\i       \     li       J  /.  2.     Western    fescue    {Festuca    occiden- 

tal) is  densely  tufted,  the  tall  shining 
culms  extending  above  an  abundance  of  fine 
soft  foliage;  panicle  3-6  in.  (7-15  cm.)  long, 
the  slender,  branches  rather  far  apart  and 
without  spikelets  at  base;  spikelets  long- 
awned.     (Fig.  18). 

Fig.  18.— Western  fescue  (Festuca  v       °  ' 

occidentalis) . 


9  Sampson,  Arthur  W.     Important  forage  plants,  their  life  history  and  forage 
value.    U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Bul.  545:8-9.     1917. 


32  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  is  a  grass  of  open  woods  and  rocky 
slopes  between  elevations  of  about  500  and  8,000  feet.  It  is  most 
common  in  open  pine  and  oak  timber  but  grows  in  a  variety  of  soils  of 
varying  moisture  conditions.  It  is  essentially  a  northern  species  but 
occurs  as  far  south  as  central  California.  The  best  stands  are  found 
in  the  yellow  pine  belt  but  the  growth  is  seldom  dense. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — No  fescue  is  cropped  more  closely 
than  this,  if  all  classes  of  stock  and  plant  associations  are  considered. 
Cattle  and  horses  leave  only  a  portion  of  the  flower  stalks  early  in  the 
season,  while  sheep  consume  the  herbage  with  much  relish,  as  it  is  fine 
and  soft  but  do  not  crop  the  flower  stalk.  Western  fescue  is  not  so 
abundant  as  Idaho  fescue.  This  may  be  accounted  for  by  its  less 
vigorous  seeding  habits  and  the  somewhat  higher  palatability  of  its 
herbage.  The  seed  crop  ripens  early.  Near  Mt.  Tamalpais  the  seed 
matures  early  in  June,  whereas  near  Lake  Tahoe,  at  an  elevation  of 
about  7,500  feet,  the  seed  does  not  ripen  until  about  July  15.  Deferred 
grazing  may  be  expected  to  bring  good  results  in  revegetation  to  western 
fescue. 

3.  Mountain  bunch  grass  (Festuca  viridula)  is  tufted,  reddish  at 
the  nodes  and  at  the  very  base,  with  an  abundance  of  soft  foliage; 
panicles  3-5  in.  (7-13  cm.)  long,  somewhat  nodding;  the  spikelets 
variegated  purple  and  yellowish  green,  fading  at  maturity.     (Fig.  19). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Mountain  bunch  grass  is  a  subalpine 
plant  which  grows  on  meadows  and  plateaus  between  elevations  of 
about  6,500  and  10,000  feet.  The  best  stands  are  in  the  forest  types  of 
spruce  and  fir.  Like  most  bunch  grasses  even  the  densest  stands  do 
not  occupy  more  than  half  the  ground,  the  tufts  being  associated  with 
many  other  plants  of  more  or  less  forage  value.  The  coarse,  deep  roots 
and  the  conservative  use  of  water  by  the  plant  as  a  whole  enable  the 
species  to  occupy  comparatively  dry  soils. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — No  fescue  is  more  palatable  or 
probably  more  nutritious  than  mountain  bunch  grass.  From  early 
spring  until  late  autumn  this  grass  is  sought  by.  livestock.  Sheep  graze 
the  herbage  more  closely  than  that  of  most  grasses.  It  is  doubtful  if 
any  other  fescue  is  grazed  with  as  great  avidity  throughout  the  season. 
A  small  amount  of  new  basal  leafage  usually  develops  when  the  autumn 
rains  come  and  this  adds  greatly  to  the  palatability  of  the  herbage  as  a 
whole.  The  flower  stalks  begin  to  appear  early  in  July  and  most  of 
them  have  been  produced  a  month  later.  The  seed  matures  during 
August  and  early  in  September.  It  does  not  shell  out  immediately  at 
maturity,  a  peculiarity  which  has  proved  advantageous  in  collecting 
seed  for  revegetating  depleted  areas  and  in  attempts  to  extend  the 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


33 


r.  k 


w,    "-•-..„  -  • 

*        N 

1     '  r 
fl 

J\ 

V 

ilpfp 

1 

Fig.  19. — Mountain  bunch  grass  (Festuca  viridula). 


range  of  this  valuable  plant.  A  comparatively  big  seed  crop  is  pro- 
duced if  the  stand  has  not  been  seriously  weakened  by  overgrazing. 
Moreover,  the  germination  strength  of  the  seed  is  good  in  favorable 
habitats.  Germination  tests  made  in  the  laboratory,  however,  in  spite 
of  attempts  to  so  control  the  temperature  as  to  simulate  that  of  the 
native  habitat  were  invariably  much  lower  than  those  conducted  in  the 
field. 

4.  Bearded  fescue  {Festuca  subulata)  is  2l/2  to  over  3  ft.  (75-90  cm.) 
tall,  the  culms  solitary  or  few  together;  lower  sheaths  thin  and  brown; 
blades  ]4rVs  m-   (6-10  mm.)  wide,  drooping;  panicle  large  but  few 


34 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


flowered,  the  green  long-awned  spikelets  somewhat  clustered  towards 
the  ends  of  long  slender  drooping  branches.  It  is  our  broadest-leaved 
species. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  rather  "stemmy"  plant  grows  from 
near  sea  level  in  the  humid  coastal  region  to  about  8,000  feet  in  the 
lower  limits  of  the  spruce-fir  type.  The  favorite  habitat  is  open  wood- 
land, stream  banks,  and  moderately  moist  meadows.  It  nowhere 
makes  a  dense  cover  nor  is  it  ever  a  dominant  species.  It  is  less 
drought  enduring  than  most  perennial  fescues. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Bearded  fescue  is  only  moderately 
palatable  to  foraging  animals,  because  of  the  relatively  scant  leafage. 
Sheep,  for  example,  graze  it  with  considerably  less  relish  than  that  of 
Idaho  fescue  and  mountain  bunch  grass.  The  seed  ripens  early,  in 
the  lower  elevations  ripening  and  falling  early  in  July.  More  generally 
it  reaches  maturity  late  in  July  or  early  in  August. 

5.  California  fescue  (Festuca  californica)  is  a  coarse  grass  in  large 
clumps,  the  culms  3  ft.  (90  cm.)  or  taller;  blades  inrolled,  rather  coarse 

and  harsh  with  a  fringe  of  short  hairs  at  the 
junction  with  the  sheath;  panicle  large  and 
open;  spikelets  larger  than  in  any  of  our 
other  species,  the  lemmas  awn  tipped. 
(Fig.  20). 

Distribution  arid  Habitat.  —  California 
fescue  ranges  from  sea  level  in  the  San 
Francisco  Bay  region  to  6,000  feet  or  more 
in  Siskiyou  and  adjoining  counties.  The 
plant  occurs  sparingly  on  the  winter  ranges 
but  is  somewhat  more  abundant  in  the 
yellow  pine  type.  It  never  forms  a  dense 
cover  over  a  large  area. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Be- 
cause of  the  dense  bunchy  habit  of  growth, 
the  culms  sometimes  numbering  100  or 
more  to  a  tuft,  and  the  harsh,  coarse  leafage,  the  herbage  is  not  highly 
relished  by  livestock.  Sheep  graze  the  plant  only  early  in  the  spring. 
Horses  feed  upon  the  leafage,  grazing  it  much  more  closely  than  cattle. 
The  seed  crop  ripens  in  May  on  the  foothill  ranges  and  in  June  in  the 
yellow  pine  type.     The  amount  of  seed  produced  is  fairly  large. 

6.  Spiked  fescue  (Festuca  confinis)  has  rather  stout  culms,  mostly 
2-2 Yi  ft.  (60-75  cm.)  tall,  in  rather  small  clumps,  commonly  producing 
short  brown  rootstocks;  blades  rather  coarse  and  stiff;  panicle  3-6  in.  (7- 
15  cm.)  long,  narrow,  pale,  the  spikelets  rather  soft,  somewhat  crowded. 


Fig.  20.— California  fescue  {Festuca 
californica) . 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


35 


Distribution  and  Habitat. — Spiked  fescue  grows  between  elevations 
of  about  4,500  and  9,500  feet,  being  most  abundant  in  the  yellow  pine 
type.  It  occurs  sparingly,  mostly  in  rather  dry  situations  with  other 
fescues,  wheat  grasses,  and  rye  grasses. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — As  sheep  forage  spiked  fescue  is 
valuable  only  until  the  seeds  begin  to  form.  After  that  the  leafage 
becomes  tough  and  fibrous.  Cattle  and  horses,  however,  devour  the 
leafage  with  moderate  relish  throughout  the  growing  season,  but  with 
much  relish  after  seed  maturity.  The  seed  crop  begins  to  ripen  late  in 
July  and  by  the  latter  part  of  August  it  is  mostly  disseminated.  The 
reproductive  powers  are  not  strong,  for  even  on  lands  protected  from 
grazing  for  several  years  there  is  only  a  scattering  growth. 


Annual  Fescues  or  Scuirrel  Grasses 

There  are  thirteen  species,  all  more  or  less  inferior  range  forage 

plants.     They  are  confined  chiefly  to  the  foothill  and  low  ranges  where, 

notably  on  badly  depleted  lands,  they  commonly  form  the  main  cover. 

7.     Six-weeks  fescue   (Festuca  megalura)  is  typical  of  this  group. 

It  is  slender,  1-2  ft. 
(30-60  cm.)  tall,  in 
small  tufts,  the  flower- 
ing culms  of  a  tuft 
mostly  very  unequal 
in  height;  foliage  fine 
and  soft ;  panicles  nar- 
row, almost  bristly 
from  the  long  awns. 
(Fig.  21). 

Distribution  and 
Habitat  . — Waste 
places,  soils  heavily 
packed  by  excessive 
stocking,  and  open 
timber  lands  of  medi- 
um elevations,  especi- 
ally in  the  Coast 
Range,  are  common 
habitats.  The  de- 
struction of  the  peren- 
nial herbage  invariably  results  in  an  abundance  of  this  and  other 
annual  fescues. 


Fig.  21.— Six-weeks  fescue  (Festuca  megalura). 


36  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Annual  fescues  in  general  pull  up 
readily  by  the  roots  when  grazed  and  are  therefore  not  desirable  pasture 
plants.10  As  fillers,  before  the  herbage  dries,  however,  they  have  some 
forage  value.     The  copious  seed  crop  ripens  in  May  and  June. 

MELIC  GRASSES  (MELICA) 

There  are  thirteen  melic  grasses  in  California,  a  greater  number 
than  is  found  in  any  other  state,  but  only  about  nine  of  these  have 
any  particular  forage  value.  No  melic  grass  is  of  prime  importance  in 
beef  and  mutton  production.  As  a  whole  they  are  moderately  palatable, 
some  species  being  grazed  closely  by  all  kinds  of  livestock,  but  they  do 
not  make  a  dense  growth  except  in  restricted  areas.  Because  of  the 
sparse  stand  and  scant  foliage  of  most  of  them,  the  melic  grasses  must 
be  classed  as  "fillers,"  that  is,  as  food  second  in  importance  to  other 
grasses  no  more  palatable  but  of  greater  abundance  and  wider  distri- 
bution. The  most  valuable  species  inhabit  the  summer  ranges,  where 
some  of  them  are  grazed  each  season  to  within  a  few  hundred  feet  of 
timber  line. 

The  melic  grasses  are  comparatively  early  in  the  succession  or 
developmental  trend  with  respect  to  re  vegetation,  most  species  being 
represented  in  the  early  formation  of  the  mixed  grass-and-herb  stage, 
hence  they  are  plants  of  moderate  drought-endurance.  Because  the 
seed  of  most  melic  grasses  is  fairly  large  range  revegetation  is  hastened 
if  the  lands  are  grazed  after  seed  maturity,  in  order  that  the  seed  crop 
may  be  trampled  into  the  soil. 

Description  of  Melic  Grasses. — Melic  grasses  are  perennials  growing 
in  dense  or  rather  loose  clumps,  with  simple  culms,  often  more  or  less 
bulblike  at  the  base;  sheath  margins  united  except  at  the  summit; 
blades  rough,  not  over  34  in-  (6  mm.)  wide;  spikelets  rather  showy,  the 
uppermost  florets  small  and  sterile. 

KEY   TO    SPECIES 

la.   Spikelets  less  than  %  in.  (6  mm.)  long  with  1  or  2  fertile  florets 

1.  M.  imperfecta. 

lb.   Spikelets  }4~/4  in.  (6-12  mm.)  long  with  3-5  fertile  florets. 

2a.   Culms  bulblike  at  base 2.  M.  bella. 

2b.    Culms  not  bulblike  at  base  or  but  slightly  swollen. 

3a.    Spikelets  nodding  in  a  simple  panicle,  showy 3.  M .  stricta. 

3b.   Spikelets  erect  or  appressed  to  the  panicle  branches. 

4a.   Spikelets  awnless 4.  M.  bulbosa. 

4b.   Spikelets  awned 5.  M.  aristata. 

10  Griffiths,  D.,  G.  L.  Bidwell,  and  C.  E.  Goodrich.     Native  pasture  grasses 
of  the  United  States.    U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Bui.  201:25.     1915. 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


37 


1.     Small-flowered  melic  grass   (Melica  imperfecta)   is  commonly 
23^-3  ft.  (75-90  cm.)  tall,  in  rather  large  loose  tufts,  the  lower  sheaths 

brown,  thin  and  papery;  foliage 
abundant;  panicles  6-10  in.  (15- 
25  cm.)  long,  spikelets  less  than 
x/i  in.  (5-6  mm.)  long  (smaller 
than  in  any  other  melic  grass), 
variegated  pale  green  and  purple, 
fading  at  maturity;  fertile  floret 
usually  1,  not  hairy.     (Fig.  22). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — 
This  grass  is  found  throughout 
the  state,  growing  from  nearly 
sea  level  to  about  6,500  feet. 
The  best  stands  are  found  in  the 
foothill  and  low  mountain  lands, 
in  pine  woods,  open  chaparral, 
and  exposed  bleak  hillsides.  The 
plant  is  unusually  tolerant  to 
shade.  Shallow,  comparatively 
infertile  soils  sometimes  support 
an  excellent  cover  of  small- 
flowered  melic  grass,  notably  in 
the  Coast  ranges,  but  rich  moist 
or  even  wet  lands  are  not  adverse 
to  its  growth.  The  plant  is  a 
conservative  user  of  water,  for 
its  growth  cycle  is  completed  in 
unusually  dry  situations. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduc- 
tion.— This  species  produces  more 
choice  forage  than  does  any  other 
melic  grass  in  the  state.  On  the 
winter  or  lower  ranges  growth 
begins  with  the  autumn  rains  and 
continues  through  the  winter  and 
early  spring.  All  classes  of  stock 
feed  greedily  upon  the  plant 
during  this  period,  the  result 
being  that  the  stand  is  waning 
seriously  in  many  localities. 
Horses  and  cattle  take  the  flower 


-Small-flowered  melic  grass  (Melica 
imperfecta) . 


38 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


stalks  with  the  leafage  during  the  active  period  of  growth,  but  sheep 
devour  only  the  leafage  until  in  the  autumn  when,  like  other  livestock, 
they  eat  the  seed  heads  also.  In  southern  California  (San  Diego 
County)  the  flower  stalks  begin  to  appear  early  in  March  and  the  seed 
ripens  in  May,  but  farther  north,  May  and  late  July  are  the  periods, 
respectively,  of  flower-stalk  production  and  seed  maturity.  Unfor- 
tunately most  of  the  winter  ranges  are  closely  grazed  before  the  seed 
ripens,  so  that  the  plant  is  declining  in  abundance.  The  seed  habits  are 
strong,  a  fairly  large  amount  of  seed  being  produced  by  strong  healthy 
plants  in  favorable  seasons. 

Torrey  melic  grass  (Melica  torreyana)  is  closely  related  to  small- 
flowered  melic  grass,  but  is  of  more  restricted  range.  The  panicles 
are  narrower  and  the  spikelets  are  larger,  and  there  are  two  minutely 
hairy  fertile  florets.  It  inhabits  thickets  and  timbered  lands,  seldom 
above  1,500  feet  elevation,  and  is  most  common  in  central  California, 
especially  in  the  Bay  region.  Its  forage  value  is  similar  to  that  of  small- 
flowered  melic. 

2.  Purple  melic  grass  (Melica  bella)  grows  in  loose  clumps,  the 
slender  culms  with  bulblike  bases,  a  single  clump  sometimes  having  as 
many  as  ten  bulbs,  appearing  like  a  cluster  of  little 
onions;  foliage  rather  scant;  panicle  3-6  in.  (7-15 
cm.)  long,  narrow,  the  short  branches  erect;  spikelets 
purple  or  variegated,  fading  at  maturity.  This  and 
the  following  four  species  with  the  bulblike  bases, 
are  sometimes  called  onion  melic  grass.  (Fig.  23). 
Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  is  a  northern 
species,  common  in  Washington  and  Oregon,  and  in 
California  confined  to  the  northern  part.  The  eleva- 
tional  range  is  from  1,500  to  9,500  feet  above  sea 
level,  but  the  best  stands  are  in  the  yellow-pine- 
sugar-pine  zone,  where  the  grazing  is  best  early  in 
the  summer  and  late  in  the  autumn.  It  occurs  but 
sparsely  in  the  winter  ranges,  nowhere  producing  a 
dense  cover.  Even  in  the  rich  sandy  or  clay  loam 
parks,  where  the  species  thrives  best,  it  probably 
never  forms  the  dominant  vegetation.  It  occupies 
areas  that  receive  a  moderate  amount  of  sunshine,  such  as  open  timber 
lands  or  meadows,  and  well-drained,  fairly  most  soils  of  moderate 
fertility. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  herbage  is  grazed  with  relish 
by  all  classes  of  foraging  animals  during  the  period  of  growth.  Sheep 
graze    the    leafage    closest    early    in    the    season    but    when    autumn 


Fig.  23.— Purple  melic 
grass  (Melica  bella) . 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  39 

approaches  the  foliage  becomes  somewhat  harsh  and  unpalatable.  The 
seed  heads,  when  well  formed,  are  devoured  by  all  foraging  animals,  by 
horses  especially,  and  by  sheep  to  a  less  extent.  The  flower  stalks 
begin  to  appear  early  in  May  in  the  yellow-pine-sugar-pine  type  and 
they  continue  to  be  produced  as  late  as  August  in  the  most  elevated 
areas.  The  seed  ripens  between  July  15  and  September  15,  according 
to  elevation,  slope,  and  the  character  of  the  season.  The  seed  habits 
are  not  strong,  yet  this  grass  responds  moderately  well  to  judicious 
forage  use.     The  seeds  fall  as  soon  as  they  reach  maturity. 

Showy  melic  grass  (Melica  spectabilis)  resembles  purple  melic 
grass,  but  the  spikelets  are  on  very  slender  pedicles,  more  or  less  nodding. 
The  foliage  is  also  sparse.  This  grass  is  found  only  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  state  where  typically  it  inhabits  open  or  rocky  woodland  or 
chaparral  of  the  yellow-pine-sugar-pine  type  to  an  elevation  of  about 
7,500  feet.  In  the  mountains  of  Mendocino  County,  however,  it  occurs 
as  high  as  10,000  feet.  It  also  thrives  in  moist  meadows  and  bottom- 
lands. 

Small  melic  grass  (Melica  fugax)  is  another 
species  with  bulblike  bases  (fig.  24).  It  is  rarely 
over  15  in.  (38  cm.)  tall,  and  has  open  panicles,  the 
short  branches  stiffly  spreading.  It  is  found  mostly 
on  dry  slopes  above  5,000  feet  elevation,  from 
northern  California  to  the  region  of  Lake  Tahoe. 
It  is  most  common  in  the  yellow  pine  type,  where 
Fig' 2mdi?arls°sf  sma11  **  0CCUPies  dry  exposed  hillsides  and  open  wood- 
land. 
Geyer  melic  grass  (Melica  geyeri)  is  taller  and  coarser  than  any  of 
the  other  onion  melics  being  2^-5  ft.  (75-150  cm.)  tall,  with  blades 
J/g-34  in.  (3-6  mm.)  broad;  the  bulblike  bases  long-tapering;  panicle 
6-8  in.  (15-20  cm.)  long,  with  slender  spreading  distant  branches,  and 
spikelets  nearly  %  in.  (18  mm.)  long,  narrow,  purplish,  somewhat 
resembling  those  of  brome  grasses.  Its  range  is  the  northern  half  of 
the  State.  The  moisture  and  soil  requirements  are  somewhat  more 
exacting  than  of  the  closely  related  species,  being  found  most  abun- 
dantly along  stream  banks,  in  moist  meadows,  and  in  fertile  coves. 
The  center  of  distribution  in  the  State  is  near  Truckee.  In  the 
northern  Coast  Range  it  seldom  occurs  abundantly  above  6,000  feet 
elevation.  It  is  also  commonly  found  in  the  digger-pine-oak-brush  belt. 
Alaska  melic  grass  (Melica  subulata)  resembles  Geyer  melic  grass, 
but  is  generally  more  slender,  with  comparatively  slender  panicles  and 
long-pointed  spikelets.  It  is  found  in  northern  California  at  elevations 
of  about  2,500  feet,  in  Humboldt  County,  to  about  7,000  feet,  and  in 


40 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


the  region  of  Lake  Tahoe.  Shady  slopes,  meadows,  and  semi-wet  areas 
are  typical  habitats.  The  forage  value  and  the  seed  maturity  of  these 
five  species  are  much  the  same.  They  are  palatable  to  all  classes  of 
stock,  but  Geyer  melic  grass,  because  of  its  robust  growth,  is  utilized 
better  by  cattle  and  horses  than  by  sheep  and  goats.  By  early  August 
the  seed  has  usually  ripened  and  been  disseminated. 

3.  Nodding  melic  grass  (Melica  stricta)  is  densely  tufted,  the 
sheaths  violet,  thin  and  papery;  culms  mostly  8-15  in. 
(20-38  cm.)  tall;  foliage  fairly  abundant,  sometimes 
rather  velvety;  panicle  narrow,  simple,  the  large  hand- 
some purplish  or  pearly  spikelets  nodding.     (Fig.  25). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  grass  grows  sparsely 
throughout  the  State  between  elevations  of  about  4,000 
feet  in  the  north  to  10,000  feet  in  the  Sierra  Nevada 
range  in  Los  Angeles  County.  The  open  yellow  pine 
forests  support  the  best  stands.  As  indicated  by  its 
presence  on  rocky  ledges  and  knolls,  and  the  luxuriant 
growth  along  stream  banks,  it  is  a  drought-enduring 
plant,  but  it  responds  to  favorable  environment. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  leafage  is 
grazed  closely  by  cattle  and  horses  throughout  the 
normal  grazing  season.  Sheep  seem  to  graze  the 
leafage  closely  only  during  the  active  season  of 
growth. 

4.  California  melic  grass  (Melica  bulbosa)  is  2-2J^  ft.  (60-75  cm.) 
tall,  the  culms  slightly  swollen  at  the  base  and  usually  bent  an  inch 
or  two  from  the  very  base,  forming  loose  tufts;  foliage  rather  scant; 

panicle  6-9  in.  (15-28  cm.)  long,  mostly  narrow  and 
rather  dense,  or  the  branches  slightly  spreading  at 
flowering  time;  spikelets  blunt,  pale  brownish  or 
purple-tinged.     (Fig.  26). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  is  essentially  a 
Pacific  coast  plant,  presumably  of  much  more 
scattered  growth  now  than  formerly,  because  of 
excessive  grazing,  for  in  protected  areas,  as  on 
shrubby  lands,  or  fenced  plots,  the  stand  is  well 
maintained.  It  occupies  very  dry  sites  and  is  an 
unusually  drought  enduring  plant.  It  ranges  in 
elevation  from  sea  level  to  about  5,000  feet. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction.— California  melic 
Fig.  26.— California  melic    grass  is  grazed  with  moderate  relish.     Much  of  the 

grass  {Melica  bulbosa) .  .,     ,  .      .  i       ,i  i  •  -i  1       . 

growth  is  on  ledges  and  other  places  inaccessible  to 


Fig.  25.  —  Nodding 
melic  grass  (Melica 
stricta) . 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  41 

foraging  animals.  The  leafage  is  grazed  closely  by  sheep  and  goats 
only  when  succulent.  The  flower-stalks  begin  to  appear  in  May  and 
continue  to  be  produced  until  early  June.  The  seed  crop  reaches 
maturity  in  August.  The  amount  of  seed  produced  to  a  plant  is  fairly 
large.  Re-establishment  of  this  plant  should  be  possible  under  good 
grazing  management,  judging  from  the  cover  seen  in  protected  areas. 

Tall  melic  grass  (Melica  frutescens)  is  closely  related  to  California 
melic  grass.  It  is  taller,  rather  coarse  and  woody,  with  longer  panicles 
of  pale  glistening  spikelets.  Unlike  any  of  our  other  melic  grasses  this 
species  often  produces  leafy  branches  from  nodes  a  few  inches  above  the 
base.  It  is  confined  to  southern  California  where  it  occupies  brushy 
desert  flats  and  foothill  ranges.  In  forage  value  it  is  similar  to  that  of 
California  melic  grass. 

5.  Awned  melic  grass  (Melica  aristata)  grows  in  dense  tufts,  the 
slender  culms  mostly  2-3  ft.  (60-90  cm.)  tall;  the  foliage  is  fairly 
abundant;  panicles  narrow,  the  short  branches  ascending  or  erect,  or 
nearly  simple  and  somewhat  resembling  slender  spikes  of  some  of  the 
wheat  grasses;  spikelets  with  slender  awns  M-H  in-  (6-12  mm.)  long. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — It  is  found  in  dry  woods,  grassy  slopes, 
and  medium  moist  meadows  in  northern  California,  southward  in  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Mts.  to  Tulare  County.  The  range  in  elevation  is 
between  2,500  and  7,500  feet. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — In  spite  of  the  awns  this  melic 
grass  is  grazed  with  relish  by  all  classes  of  stock.  At  the  time  of  seed 
maturity,  however,  the  herbage  becomes  somewhat  unpalatable  to  sheep. 
The  flower  stalks  appear  in  May  and  June  and  the  seed  ripens  in  July 
and  August.     The  amount  of  seed  produced  to  a  plant  is  small. 

BLUE  GRASSES  (POA) 

The  fame  of  the  pastures  of  Kentucky  is  due  to  a  superior  grass  which 
owes  its  common  name  of  Kentucky  blue  grass  to  this  association.  The 
grazing  grounds  of  California  are  greatly  enriched,  likewise,  by  no  less 
than  30  different  kinds  of  blue  grasses.  Most  blue  grasses  do  not 
flourish  where  the  summers  are  hot  and  dry  as  on  the  foothills,  but  on 
the  summer  pastures  or  mountain  ranges  they  are  stable  forage  pro- 
ducers. Four  are  winter  annuals,  three  of  which  afford  some  early 
spring  grazing  in  the  deserts  and  foothills.  The  rest  which  are  perennials 
begin  growth  early  in  the  spring,  are  relatively  succulent  during  the 
growing  season,  and  remain  palatable  and  nutritious  after  the  herbage 
cures.  They  are  comparatively  long-lived  plants  and  most  of  them, 
notably  those  with  rootstocks,  withstand  grazing  well.     Blue  grasses  are 


42 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


primarily  pasture  plants,  but  a  few  are  cut  for  hay.  They  are  com- 
paratively abundant  in  the  development  of  the  climax  or  more  stable 
herbaceous  cover.  They  nearly  always  replace  the  brome  grasses,  but 
usually  give  way  to  certain  species  of  needle  grasses  (Stipa)  and  wheat 
grasses  (Agropyron) .  The  blue  grasses  are  plants  of  sweet  or  somewhat 
limey  or  slightly  alkaline  lands;  they  never  grow 
luxuriantly,  if  at  all,  on  acid  or  sour  lands.  They  are 
sometimes  called  spear  grasses  or  meadow  grasses. 

Description  of  Blue  Grasses. — The  blue  grasses  are 
slender  perennials  or  annuals,  growing  in  tufts  or 
forming  a  sod,  with  rather  soft  foliage,  the  blades 
long  and  narrow  and  with  a  boat-shaped  tip  (fig.  27). 
The  flower  heads  are  narrow  or  loose  panicles  of  small 
awnless  spikelets.  The  largest  forage  yields  are  pro- 
duced by  about  14  species,  as  follows : 


Fig.  27.— Tip  of  leaf 
of  blue  grass. 


Sod  Blue  Grasses 

Kentucky  blue  grass 
Canada  blue  grass 
Olney  blue  grass 


Bunch  Blue  Grasses 

Malpais  blue  grass 
Sandberg  blue  grass 
Pacific  blue  grass 
Nevada  blue  grass 
Alkali  blue  grass 
Fendler  blue  grass 
Leiberg  blue  grass 


Annual  Blue  Grasses 

Annual  blue  grass 
Bigelow  blue  grass 
Bolancler  blue  grass 
Howell  blue  grass 


KEY   TO    SPECIES 
la.    Plants  perennial. 

2a.   Sod  grasses  with  creeping  rootstocks. 
3a.   Culms  not  flattened. 

4a.    Florets  with  a  tuft  of  cottony  hairs  at  base 1.  P.  pratensis. 

4b.    Florets  without  cottony  hairs 3.  P.  nervosa. 

3b.   Culms  flattened 2.  P.  compressa. 

2b.   Bunch  grasses  (without  creeping  rootstocks). 

5a.    Blades  flat,  somewhat  curly 4.  P.  scabrella. 

5b.    Blades  folded  or  rolled,  rather  stiff. 

7a.    Blades  relatively  short  and  crowded  at  base P.  fendleriana. 

7b.    Blades  elongate,  scattered  along  the  culm P.  nevadensis . 

lb.    Plants  annual 5.  P.  annua. 


Sod  Blue  Grasses 
1.  Kentucky  blue  grass  (Poa  pratensis)  at  its  best  forms  a  complete 
sod,  but  it  usually  grows  in  small  patches,  close  together  or  distant, 
among  other  vegetation;  it  is  1-3  ft.  (30-90  cm.)  tall,  the  foliage  soft 
and  long;  panicle  open,  the  spikelets  clustered  toward  the  ends  of  the 
branches.  (Fig.  28).  Other  common  names  are  June  grass,  or  simply 
blue  grass. 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


43 


Fig.  28. — Kentucky  blue  grass  (Poa  pratensis). 


Distribution  and  Habitat. — In  California,  Kentucky  blue  grass  is 
rather  strictly  confined  to  cool  elevated  areas.  In  the  middle  West 
and  the  North,  it  is  an  ideal  lawn  grass,  but  it  does  not  make  a  satisfac- 
tory lawn  in  California,  because  it  does  not  withstand  the  hot  summers. 
On  the  summer  range  good  stands  are  sometimes  found  at  an  elevation 
of  10,000  feet.  While  some  seed  of  Kentucky  blue  grass  has  been 
scattered  on  certain  ranges  on  which  it  now  grows,  most  of  the  present 
cover  has  come  in  naturally,  and  on  many  areas  it  is  gaining  in  abund- 
ance. A  few  years  ago  it  was  practically  unknown  on  certain  ranges 
where  now  it  is  common. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — All  grazing  animals  relish  Kentucky 
blue  grass.  Cattle  and  horses  devour  the  whole  plant  during  the  grazing 
season,  whereas  sheep  usually  seek  only  the  leafage  which,  however, 
they  graze  closely.  Being  a  sod-former  close  grazing,  if  not  too  frequent, 
does  not  injure  it.  Once  the  Kentucky  blue  grass  plants  are  well 
established   reproduction   by   shoots   arising   from   the   rootstocks   is 


44 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


vigorous,  but  seedlings  also  occur  where  a  seed  crop  is  permitted  to 
form.  From  the  rapidity  with  which  the  species  spreads  without 
cultivation  its  seed  habits  must  be  strong.  With  its  tuft  of  cottony 
hairs  at  the  base,  the  ripened  floret  (the  seed)  is  carried  long  distances 
by  the  wind.  In  the  higher  ranges,  as  in  the  spruce-fir  type,  the  seed 
usually  ripens  by  the  middle  of  August.  After  the  first  season's  growth 
the  plants  form  rootstocks  and  begin  stooling  out. 

2.  Canada  blue  grass   (Poa  compressa)  forms  a  looser  sod  than 
Kentucky  blue  grass;  the  culms  are  flat  and  wiry  and  the  foliage  less 

abundant;  panicles  narrower  and  denser.  (Fig.  29). 
It  is  known  also  as  English  blue  grass,  Virginia  blue 
grass,  and  flatstem  blue  grass. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Canada  blue  grass  is  an 
introduction  from  Europe.  It  is  most  commonly 
found  between  elevations  of  about  6,000-10,000  feet. 
On  the  more  productive  mountain  lands  it  may  pay 
to  attempt  to  extend  its  range  or  increase  its  abundance 
by  artificial  reseeding.  The  yield  is  not  so  large  as 
that  of  Kentucky  blue  grass,  with  which  it  often  grows 
in  the  better  sites,  but  it  does  well  on  soils  where 
Kentucky  blue  grass  does  not  thrive. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction.— While  the  palata- 
bility  is  not  so  high  as  that  of  Kentucky  blue  grass, 
the  herbage  is  of  average  palatability  for  all  classes  of 
livestock.  The  rather  loose  turf  does  not  withstand 
so  much  abusive  pasturing  as  do  some  plants  that  form 
a  dense  sod,  but  it  produces  more  forage  and  can  be 
cropped  more  closely  without  permanent  injury  than 
any  of  the  bunch  blue  grasses.  The  seed  habits  of  Canada  blue  grass 
are  good.  Seed  may  be  purchased  for  about  half  the  cost  of  that  of 
Kentucky  blue  grass.  Where  closely,  but  not  destructively  grazed, 
reproduction  from  the  rootstocks  is  vigorous. 

3.  Olney  blue  grass  (Poa  nervosa)  resembles  Ken- 
tucky blue  grass,  but  the  foliage  is  paler  and  not  so 
long;  the  panicle  is  rather  more  open  and  the  florets 
have  no  cottony  tuft  at  the  base.  (Fig.  30).  This  is 
an  exceedingly  variable  species  and  its  forms  are  known 
under  different  names.  A  luxuriant  form  with  rather 
rough  leaves  has  been  called  Poa  olneyae  (described  from 
Washington  specimens),  while  plants  having  hairs  on 
the  nerves  of  the  lemmas  have  been  called  Poa  wheeleri. 
True  Poa  wheeleri  is  a  Rocky  Mountain  species  scarcely 
distinct  from  P.  nervosa. 


Fi'^.  2!i—  Canada  blue 
gr„ss  {Poa  compressa) . 


Fig.  30.— Olney  blue 
grass  (Poa  nervosa) . 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


45 


Distribution  and  Habitat. — Olney  blue  grass  is  a  plant  of  the  summer 
range,  growing  at  elevations  of  between  4,500  and  12,000  feet.     It  is 

most  common  on  alpine  meadows,  open 
woods  and  grassy  hillocks  in  the  Sierra 
Nevada  and  high  mountains  in  the 
South.  Being  a  comparatively  drought- 
enduring  species  it  thrives  on  rather 
poor  as  well  as  on  fertile  soils.  In  many 
localities  it  grows  abundantly  and  often 
forms  the  dominant  vegetation.  It 
holds  its  own  in  competition  with  other 
grasses  and  broad-leaved  herbs,  especi- 
ally with  plants  that  do  not  form  a  turf. 
Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — 
Olney  blue  grass  is  a  very  choice  forage 
plant,  both  because  of  the  avidity  with 
which  all  classes  of  livestock  graze  it  and 
because  of  its  ability  to  recover  from 
close  and  repeated  grazing.  No  other 
native  blue  grass  apparently  withstands 
grazing  as  well  as  does  this  species.  The 
seed,  which  is  usually  abundant  and 
viable,  matures  about  August  or  Sep- 
tember. The  first  year's  seedlings  are 
stocky  and  fairly  well  rooted,  but  their 
roots  are  pushed  out  of  the  ground 
rather  easily,  even  in  the  autumn,  if  the 
grazing  is  close,  especially  in  wet 
weather.  Short  rootstocks  and  an  occa- 
sional shoot  therefrom  are  produced  in 
the  second  year  of  growth. 

Bunch  Blue  Grasses 

4.  Malpais  blue  grass  {Poa  scabrella) 
forms  dense  tufts,  as  much  as  4  in.  (10 
cm.)  across,  with  a  mass  of  rather  rough 
foliage  at  the  base,  mostly  4-7  in.  (10-18 
cm.)  high,  the  culms  rather  few  to  a 
tuft,  reddish  at  the  base,  mostly  V/i  to 

23/£  ft.  (45-75  cm.)  tall;  panicle  narrow  but  loose,  the  spikelets  not  so 

flat  as  in  most  blue  grasses.     (Fig.  31). 


Fig.  31. — Malpais  blue  grass  {Poa  scabrella). 


46  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Malpais  blue  grass  has  an  unusually  wide 
elevational  range,  occurring  practically  from  sea  level  to  9,000  feet 
altitude.  It  is  most  abundant  in  the  upper  yellow-pine-sugar-pine  belt 
and  in  the  Douglas  fir  type  (Transition  and  Canadian  life  zones)  but  is 
often  of  primary  importance  on  ranges  of  low  elevation,  notably  in  the 
coast  counties.  It  grows  in  open  ground  on  gravelly  or  thin  soils,  and 
in  rocky  outcrops  resembling  badlands,  where  it  is  one  of  the  most 
drought-enduring  plants.  It  is  often  the  most  abundant  species, 
although,  because  of  the  low  carrying  capacity  of  the  soils,  it  makes 
only  open  stands. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Foraging  animals  relish  the  leafage 
of  Malpais  blue  grass,  which  is  always  grazed  closely  until  after  seed 
maturity.  In  the  autumn,  unless  there  is  much  precipitation,  the 
herbage  is  not  grazed  closely  by  horses.  In  the  early  summer  the  fine 
tender  herbage  is  especially  sought  by  lambs.  The  seed  ripens  unevenly, 
in  June  at  the  lower  elevations  and  not  until  September  in  the  higher 
altitudes.  It  drops  soon  after  maturity.  The  seed  habits  are  moder- 
ately strong. 

Sandberg  blue  grass  (Poa  sandbergii)  is  much  like  Malpais  blue 
grass  but  is  rarely  over  15  in.  (37  cm.)  tall  and  has  shorter  tufts  of 
smooth  foliage. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Like  Malpais  blue  grass  this  species  grows 
on  thin  inferior  soils,  but  unlike  Malpais  it  does  well  on  deep  fertile  soil. 
Its  range  is  2,000-10,000  feet,  but  it  is  most  abundant  at  intermediate 
elevations.  It  grows  both  in  partly  shaded  and  in  exposed  situations, 
and  next  to  Malpais  blue  grass  it  is  the  most  abundant  bunch  blue  grass 
in  the  State. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  forage  value  of  Sandberg  blue 
grass  is  high,  as  it  is  grazed  closely  by  all  classes  of  stock  during  the 
growing  season.  When  the  leafage  has  dried  it  is  not  grazed 
closely  by  sheep,  but  they  seek  it  again  after  the  rains  when 
it  has  been  somewhat  softened.  Seed  production  is  not 
very  large,  but  some  fertile  seed  is  usually  produced  each 
year.     It  ripens  between  July  and  early  September. 

Pacific  blue  grass  (Poa  gracillima)  is  related  to 
Sandberg  blue  grass.  It  grows  in  looser  tufts,  the  culms 
usually  bent  at  the  base  and  it  has  an  open  panicle  with 
spreading  branches. 

Nevada  blue  grass  (Poa  nevadensis)  is  coarser  than 
Malpais  blue  grass,   grayish-green,   with  rough  inrolled 
bine  grass  (Poa  neu- blades,  long  narrow  panicle,  and  spikelets  }/%-%  m-  (7-8 
mm.)  long.     (Fig.  32). 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  47 

Alkali  blue  grass  (Poa  brachyglossa)  is  related  to  Nevada  blue 
grass.  It  has  finer  smooth  foliage  and  spikelets  sometimes  nearly  J^  in. 
(12  mm.)  long. 

Fendler  blue  grass  (Poa  fendleriana)  is  pale  green 
with  an  abundance  of  short,  rather  stiff,  slightly  rough 
foliage  at  the  base,  very  short  ligules,  and  narrow, 
dense  pale  panicles.  Also  called  mutton  grass.  (Fig. 
33). 

Long-ligule  blue  grass  (Poa  longiligulata)  is  very 
similar  to  Fendler  blue  grass  but  has  smooth  foliage, 
ligules  about  J^  in.  (6  mm.)  long,  and  looser  panicles. 
Leiberg  blue  grass  (Poa  leibergii)  has  a  very 
dense  tuft  of  short,  smooth  foliage  with  a  few  slender 
culms  rarely  over  7  in.  (17  cm.)  tall,  and  narrow 
purplish  panicles.  This  species  reaches  a  higher  alti- 
tude than  any  of  the  others  here  discussed. 
Fig. 33.— Fendler         These  six  species  are  similar  to  Malpais  blue  grass 

blue  grass  {Poa  fend-  ^  r-  o 

leriana).  [n  forage  value.     Pacific  blue  grass  is  more  abundant 

than  the  others,  but  much  less  so  than  Malpais  or 
Sandberg  blue  grasses.  All  are  associated  more  or  less.  For  example, 
the  elevational  range  of  Pacific  blue  grass  is  between  6,500  and  10,000 
feet;  of  Nevada  blue  grass  4,500  and  9,000  feet;  of  alkali  blue  grass  4,000 
and  9,000  feet;  Leiberg  blue  grass  7,500  and  12,000  feet;  and  of  Fendler 
blue  grass  and  the  closely  related  long-ligule  blue  grass,  about  7,000  and 
11,000  feet. 

The  forage  value  of  these  species  is  high  but  because  of  their  rela- 
tively sparse  growth  they  do  not  contribute  greatly  to  the  forage  crop. 
Under  improved  grazing  management  these  species  may  be  expected  to 
increase  appreciably  in  abundance.  Fendler  blue  grass,  for  example,  is 
a  highly  productive  plant  in  some  localities  outside  of  California,  but 
like  some  of  the  others,  its  high  palatability  and  rather  meager  seed 
production  require  that  a  seed  crop  be  permitted  to  develop  for  several 
years  in  succession  before  the  stand  may  be  noticeably  increased. 

Annual  Blue  Grasses 

5.  Annual  blue  grass  (Poa  annua)  is  a  densely  tufted  low-growing 
winter  annual  with  soft  bright  green  foliage  and  small  pyramidal 
panicles.     (Fig.  34). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Annual  blue  grass  is  found  from  sea  level 
to  timberline.  It  grows  in  practically  any  soil  that  is  not  acid  if  the 
moisture  is  ample.     It  is  not  found  on  the  desert.     Nowhere  does  this 


48  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

species  grow  to  the  exclusion  of 
other  vegetation,  but  it  forms  a 
part,  usually  of  small  propor- 
tion, of  the  vegetation  of  a  great 
many  associations. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduc- 
tion.— The  herbage  of  annual 
blue  grass  is  relished  by  stock 
during  its  period  of  succulence. 
After  the  seeds  are  cast  and  the 
leafage  dries  it  is  grazed  but 
little.  It  produces  only  a  small 
amount  of  forage  of  fair  quality 

Fig.  34. — Annual  blue  grass  {Poa  annua).  x 

under  the  best  of  conditions. 
The  seeds  mature  tetween  the  latter  half  of  April  and  early  June  in  the 
foothills,  but  in  the  higher  elevations  they  sometimes  do  not  ripen  until 
late  in  September.  Most  annual  grasses  have  strong  seed  habits,  and 
presumably  the  rather  large  seed  crop  produced  by  annual  blue  grass  is 
highly  fertile. 

Bigelow  blue  grass  (Poa  bigelovii)  grows  in  small  tufts,  10-18  in. 
(25-45  cm.)  tall,  with  rough  foliage  and  narrow  panicle;  Howell  blue 
grass  {Poa  howellii)  is  1-2  ft.  (30-60  cm.)  tall,  with  rough  foliage  and 
open  panicle;  and  Bolander  blue  grass  {Poa  bolanderi)  8-24  in.  (20-60 
cm.)  tall,  with  smooth  foliage  and  open  panicle  about  half  the  length 
of  the  entire  plant.  These  three  have  much  the  same  pasture  value  as 
annual  blue  grass,  but  on  account  of  their  numerous  stems,  which  become 
tough  rather  early  in  the  season,  the  leafage  is  not  grazed  closely  by 
livestock. 

SALT  GRASS  (DIST1CHLIS) 

There  is  but  one  species  of  salt  grass  in  California,  Distichlis 
spicata.  This  is  a  greyish-green,  low-growing  perennial  with  strong 
extensively  creeping  rootstocks  and  wiry  culms  with  numerous  short, 
stiff,  spreading  blades,  and  narrow  somewhat  dense  panicles  of  rather 
long  smooth  spikelets.  The  staminate  and  pistillate  spikelets  are  borne 
on  separate  plants.  The  pistillate  spikelets  are  a  little  shorter  and 
broader  than  the  staminate.     (Fig.  35). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Salt  grass  is  an  apt  name,  for  this  grass 
always  grows  in  soils  containing  salts  of  various  kinds — in  rare  instances 
sodium  chloride  or  common  table  salt,  but  more  commonly  in  soils 
impregnated  with  sodium  sulphate  (white  alkali)  and  various  others  or 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA 


49 


combinations  of  them.  It  is  typically  a  plant  of  brackish  marshes  and 
is  common  along  the  coast  and  in  the  interior  deserts  and  valleys. 
Occasionally  patches  of  salt  grass  are  found  at  elevations  of  about  6,500 

feet.  The  cover  is  often  dense, 
frequently  forming  the  dominant 
vegetation,  if  not  a  pure  stand. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduc- 
tion.— Salt  grass  cannot  be 
classed  as  food  for  sheep,  but 
cattle  and  horses  make  good  use 
of  it  where  more  tender,  succulent 
forage  is  not  available.  When 
the  animals  are  pastured  largely 
on  alkali  lands,  cattlemen  regard 
salt  grass  as  good  feed.  The 
herbage  becomes  tough  if  allowed 
to  grow  to  full  length,  hence  it  is 
important  to  keep  the  cover 
grazed  rather  closely.  There  is 
little  danger  of  thinning  the  stand 
by  grazing  because  of  the  tough 
tangle  of  rootstocks  which  send 
up  unusually  vigorous  shoots  at 
somewhat  regular  intervals.  The 
seed  crop,  which  is  not  usually 
large,  matures  mostly  in  August 
and  September,  a  late  period, 
considering  the  low  elevations  at 
which  salt  grass  grows.  Vege- 
tative reproduction,  by  root- 
stocks,  is  unusually  vigorous. 

MANNA  GRASSES  (PANICULARIA) 

These    are    perennials    with 
succulent  culms  and  foliage,  and 
open  panicles  of  strongly  nerved 
spikelets.     They  grow  in  fresh- 
water marshes  or  wet  ground.     Only  one  species  is  of  importance  as 
forage. 

Nerved  manna  grass  (Panicularia  nervata)  grows  in  clumps,  some- 
times forming  large  tussocks,  the  culms  mostly  2-3  ft.  (60-90  cm.)  tall, 


Fig.  35— Salt 


(Distichlis  spicata) . 


50 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


the  abundant  foliage  dark  green ;  panicles  drooping,  the  numerous  small 
spikelets  having  a  ridged  appearance,  because  of  the  strong  parallel 
nerves  of  the  lemmas. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Nerved  manna  grass  is  confined  to  moist 
or  wet  situations  of  medium  elevations  and  is  most  abundant  in  northern 
California.  It  is  tolerant  of  shade  and  often  forms  an  important  part 
of  the  vegetation  of  marshy  woodlands. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — This  grass  is  a  "filler,"  for  it  never 
forms  an  important  part  of  the  animals'  diet.  It  is  more  palatable  than 
the  average  sedge  or  rush,  however,  with  which  it  usually  grows.  Sheep 
do  not  graze  much  upon  the  leafage  because  of  their  dislike  of  wet  or 
boggy  ground.  Horses  and  cattle  graze  the  herbage  closely.  The  seed 
ripens  in  July  and  August.  It  is  cast  as  soon  as  it  ripens,  and  being 
small  it  gets  into  the  soil  sufficiently  for  reproduction. 


Fig.  36.— Carolina  love 
grass  (Eragrostis  carolini- 
ana). 


LOVE  GRASSES  (ERAGROSTIS) 

There  are  only  a  few  species  of  love  grasses  in 
California,  none  of  them  important  forage  plants. 
They  are  confined  largely  to  valleys  and  foothills, 
and  never  make  a  dense  stand.  They  are  shallow- 
rooted,  late-growing  annuals  with  rather  scant 
foliage  and  large  open  panicles  of  small,  smooth, 
narrow  spikelets.  (The  common  name  is  an  old 
European  folk  name,  probably  referring  to  an 
ancient  use  in  love-philtres.  The  botanical  name  is 
Latin  for  love  grass.) 

Carolina  love  grass  {Eragrostis  caroliniana) 
grows  in  small  tufts,  the  culms  mostly  8  to  12  in. 
long,  bent  at  the  base,  often  weak  and  reclining; 
foliage  soft;  panicles  mostly  4  to  6  in.  long,  the 
lead-colored  spikelets  lying  close  to  the  panicle 
branches.  (Fig.  36).  This  is  the  most  abundant 
species  in  the  State.  The  best  growth  is  in  San 
Luis  Obispo  and  Tulare  counties.  It  ranges  from 
here  southward  but  is  also  found  in  northern  Cali- 
fornia. The  seed  matures  late  in  August  and  the 
foliage  remains  green  until  late  in  the  summer.  The 
herbage  is  moderately  palatable  but  because  of  its 
sparse  growth  is  not  highly  valuable  in  any  part  of 
its  range. 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  51 

Mexican  love  grass  (Eragrostis  mexicana),  a  larger  species  with  a 
looser  panicle  about  half  the  entire  height  of  the  plant,  and  larger,  olive- 
green  spikelets,  is  confined  to  southern  California.  Its  forage  value  is 
similar  to  that  of  Carolina  love  grass. 


OAT  TRIBE  (AVENEAE) 

The  oat  tribe,  because  it  embraces  the  all-important  wild  oats,  is 
better  known  to  California  stockmen  than  any  other.  In  addition,  there 
are  the  hair  grasses,  June  grass,  trisetum  grasses,  and  oat  grasses,11  all 
of  which  produce  much  choice  range  feed.  The  oat  tribe  is  character- 
ized by  2-several  flowered  spikelets,  with  long  glumes  exceeding  the 
florets,  the  lemmas  (except  in  June  grass)  awned  from  the  back ;  spikelets 
in  open  to  spikelike  panicles. 

WILD  OATS  (AVENA) 

There  are  two  species  of  wild  oats,  both  introduced  from  Europe. 
They  are  annuals  with  large  nodding  spikelets  in  open  panicles,  the  2  or 
3  florets  close  together,  densely  clothed  with  stiff  hairs  at  the  base,  the 
lemma  bearing  a  stout,  bent,  twisted  awn  from  the  back.  (In  the 
cultivated  oat  the  awn  is  wanting  or  small.) 

1.  Wild  oats  (Avena  fatua)  is  lJ^-4  ft.  (45-120  cm.)  tall,  stooling 
from  the  base,  forming  tufts;  foliage  fairly  abundant,  the  blades  x/±  to 
nearly  Yi  in.  (6-10  mm.)  wide;  panicle  large,  very  open,  the  spikelets 
about  1  in.  (22  mm.)  long,  the  awns  1^-2  in.  (32-44  mm.)  long;  lemmas 
minutely  2-toothed  at  the  tip.     (Fig.  37). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  species  grows  on  many  kinds  of  soils, 
such  as  clay  loam,  sandy  lands,  and  stiff  adobe.  The  best  yields  are 
found  on  moderately  moist  rich  adobe  lands,  but  on  dry  areas  the  cover 
is  often  conspicuous.  Wild  oats  is  a  valley  and  foothill  plant  and 
conspicuously  the  dominant  grass  over  a  large  part  of  the  State's 
grazing  grounds.  It  grows  mostly  as  a  winter  annual,  that  is,  the  seed 
germinates  in  the  autumn  and  growth  continues  through  the  winter, 
maturing  early  in  the  spring. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — On  the  winter  ranges  wild  oats  is 
by  far  the  most  important  grass.  Growing,  as  it  does  typically,  in 
association  with  bur  clover,  alfilaria,  various  brome  grasses,  and  many 
other  choice  forage  plants,  it  is  not  only  valuable  in  balancing  the 
forage  ration  but  is  among  the  heaviest  forage  producers.     For  example, 

11  The  name  "wild  oats"  applies  only  to  plants  of  the  genus  Avena,  or  true  wild 
oats,  while  "oat  grass"  is  the  name  for  the  less  important  grasses  of  the  genus 
Danthonia. 


52 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Fig.  37. — Wild  oats  (Avena  fatua) . 


on  good  lands  13^  tons  of  excellent  hay,  purely  a  volunteer  crop,  is 
sometimes  taken  off  an  acre.  Foraging  animals  are  very  fond  of  wild 
oat  pasture  and  hay,  but  after  the  copious  seed  crop  has  fallen  and  the 
herbage  has  dried,  stock  do  not  graze  it  closely.  With  the  coming  of 
autumn  rains,  however,  much  of  the  herbage  of  the  previous  winter's 
growth  is  devoured  with  the  new  lush  feed.  The  seed  heads,  which  are 
very  fattening,  are  eagerly  sought  by  stock.  The  amount  of  good  seed 
produced  is  exceptionally  large.  It  begins  to  ripen  in  May  and  in  the 
latter  part  of  June  it  has  mostly  fallen.     Because  of  the  large  seed  it  is 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  53 

important  that  the  pasture  be  grazed  after  the  seed  is  cast,  for  the  awn 
does  not  accomplish  self-planting.  Light  autumn  grazing  appears  to 
work  the  seed  well  into  the  ground.  Wild  oats  responds  unusually  well 
to  deferred  grazing.  This  would  be  expected  because,  among  other 
things,  it  is  an  early  invader  in  the  development  of  the  plant  cover. 
According  to  the  results  of  a  preliminary  study  conducted  in  three 
counties,  a  seed  crop  may  be  expected  to  develop  if  the  wild  oat  ranges 
are  grazed  until  about  the  middle  of  March.  There  must  be  no  grazing 
after  that  until  the  seed  has  fallen.  Extensive  additional  observations 
must  necessarily  be  made,  however,  before  definite  reseeding  plans  may 
be  recommended.  Stockmen  in  many  parts  of  the  State  are  cooperating 
admirably  in  working  out  the  re  vegetation  problem  on  the  wild  oat  lands. 
Slender  wild  oats  (Avena  barbata)  is  similar  to  wild  oats,  but  is 
usually  more  slender,  with  somewhat  narrower  panicles.  The  lemmas 
end  in  two  long  slender  teeth.  While  this  species  is  not  so  abundant 
and  widely  distributed  as  wild  oats,  it  is  a  valuable  forage  plant.  Since 
it  grows  in  association  with  the  related  species  the  revegetational  plan 
is  the  same  for  both. 

JUNE  GRASSES  (KOELERIA) 

There  is  one  native  June  grass  in  California, 
Koeler  or  mountain  June  grass  (Koeleria  cristata),  a 
densely  tufted  perennial,  resembling  some  species  of 
blue  grass;  foliage  soft,  abundant;  panicle  narrow, 
dense,  pale  and  shining,  the  glumes  and  lemmas  sharp- 
pointed.     (Fig.  38). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — June  grass  is  most 
abundant  in  the  Coast  ranges  and  in  the  southern 
mountains,  between  elevations  of  3,000  and  10,000  feet. 
It  occupies  well-drained  soils,  such  as  open  glades  or 
lands  with  scattered  timber,  where  it  often  constitutes 
the  most  conspicuous  and  abundant  herbage.  Being 
relatively  early  in  the  succession,  it  is  typically  asso- 
ciated with  various  broad-leaved  herbs  like  lupine, 
geranium,  yarrow,  and  aster  and  with  perennial  brome 

{Koeleria  cristata) .  graSSeS . 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Wherever  June 
grass  occurs  plentifully  it  is  valuable  as  forage.  The  abundant  basal 
leafage,  when  young,  is  grazed  by  sheep  with  nearly  as  much  relish  as 
by  cattle  and  horses.  Until  the  seeds  are  fairly  well  developed  the 
stalks  are  grazed  by  cattle  and  horses.     The  flower  stalks  are  among 


Fig.  38. — June  grass 


54 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


the  earliest  to  appear,  a  fact  which  has  been  used  recently  in  determining 
when  a  range  may  be  grazed  without  injury.  They  usually  appear  in 
May  from  ten  days  to  two  weeks  after  growth  has  started,  a  time  when 
the  forage  of  all  species  may  be  pastured  lightly — "topped"  as  it  is 
termed.  The  seed  habits  are  good  considering  the  elevations  at  which 
the  plant  grows. 


TRISETUMS  (TRISETUM) 

California  has  five  trisetums,  but  only  one — spiked  trisetum — is  an 
important  forage  plant. 

Description  of  Trisetums. — These  are  perennial  bunch  grasses  with 
soft  foliage  and  dense  or  open  panicles  of  flat  shining  spikelets,  the 
florets  with  a  slender  bent  awn  from  the  back. 

Spiked  trisetum  (Trisetum  spicatum)  is  densely 
tufted,  Yi-^Vi  ft.  (15-45  cm.)  tall;  the  foliage  soft, 
abundant,  often  whitish  velvety;  panicles  dense,  spike- 
like, pale  or  purplish.     (Fig.  39). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  is  an  alpine  dweller, 
being  confined  to  the  high  summer  ranges,  especially 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada.  It  descends  to  5,000  feet,  but 
ascends  beyond  timber  line,  sometimes  to  the  highest 
limits  of  flowering  plants.  It  occupies  medium  moist 
to  dry  soils,  but  the  stand  is  seldom  dense.  It  is 
among  the  first  to  leaf  in  the  spring. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Because  of  its  wide 
distribution  through  the  State,  spiked  trisetum  pro- 
duces a  large  amount  of  forage.  The  herbage  is 
relished  by  stock,  little  being  left  even  on  areas  not 
pastured  until  in  the  autumn. 

Near  timberline  the  seed  does  not  ripen  until 
September  or  October  but  over  most  of  its  range  the 
seed  is  cast  late  in  August.  Unfortunately  the  seed 
habits,  as  reported  from  studies  in  eastern  Oregon,  are 
not  strong. 


Fig.  39.— Spiked  tri 
setum  (Trisetum  spi 
catum). 


HAIR  GRASSES  (AIRA) 

There  are  four  hair  grasses  in  California,  one  annual  and  three 
perennials.  The  pasture  value  of  the  different  kinds  varies  widely. 
Moreover,  they  belong  to  different  successional  stages,  from  the  earliest 
to  the  latest  among  herbaceous  plants.  By  far  the  most  abundant  is 
tufted  hair  grass.     Slender  hair  grass  is  second. 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  55 

Description  of  Hair  Grasses. — These  are  bunch  grasses  with  slender 
culms,  narrow  or  inrolled  blades  and  loose  open  or  narrow  panicles; 
spikelets  not  strongly  flattened;  florets  2,  broad  at  the  summit,  awned 
from  the  back  near  the  base. 

Tufted  hair  grass  (Aira  caespitosa)  grows  in  dense  tufts,  lJ^-3  ft. 
(45-90  cm.)  tall,  with  abundant  rather  stiff  foliage,  and  open  panicles, 
the  branches  spikelet-bearing  towards  the  ends;  spike- 
lets  shining,  the  awns  delicate.     (Fig.  40). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  attractive  appear- 
ing and  palatable  grass  is  common  in  moist  meadows 
and  semi-marsh  areas  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  other 
high  mountains.  The  elevational  range  is  between 
5,000  and  10,000  feet.  The  closely  sodded  cover  is 
sometimes  so  dense  as  to  exclude  most  other  vegetation. 
hafrg'  gSs7Tl(Airi  It  is  a  stable  type  of  grass  and  is  high  in  the  develop- 
•  caespitosa).  mental  stage  of  herbaceous  plants. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — All  stock  graze  the  leafage  closely, 
provided  it  is  not  fully  developed  when  they  are  admitted.  Because  of 
the  moist  habitat,  the  leafage,  if  kept  grazed,  continues  to  grow 
throughout  the  summer.  The  plant  stands  much  close  grazing  and 
trampling  without  apparent  injury.  Reproduction  by  basal  shoots 
is  vigorous.  The  seed  crop  is  not  generally  large  but  it  appears  to 
germinate  well.     It  matures  late,  usually  in  September  and  October. 

Slender  hair  grass  (Aira  elongata)  has  the  appearance  of  an 
annual.  It  grows  in  small  tufts,  has  fine  foliage  and  long  narrow 
panicles.  It  occurs  throughout  the  State  on  well-drained  soils,  from 
sea  level  to  9,000  feet  or  more  in  elevation.  Its  pasture  value  is  rela- 
tively low.  One  objection  is  that  the  shallow  roots  permit  the  animals 
to  pull  them  out.  After  masticating  the  leaves  and  stalks,  cattle  and 
horses  expel  them,  for  the  roots  and  clinging  dirt  remain  to  form  the 
dessert  to  their  meal.  After  a  few  such  experiences  stock  seek  a  different 
"menu."  Early  in  the  summer  the  leaves  become  dry  and  no  longer 
attract  the  animals.     The  seed  crop,  which  is  large,  ripens  in  August. 

California  hair  grass  (Aira  holciformis)  and  annual  hair  grass 
(A.  danihonioides) ,  often  associated  with  slender  hair  grass,  are  of 
limited  forage  value.  California  hair  grass  is  coarse  with  stiff  inrolled 
blades  and  narrow,  rather  dense,  bronze-colored  panicles.  They  occur 
throughout  the  valleys  and  foothills,  annual  hair  grass  often  being 
associated  with  slender  hair  grass.  Cattle  and  horses  graze  them  to 
some  extent  but  they  are  purely  fillers.  California  hair  grass  occupies 
marshy  areas,  hence  it  is  not  always  available  to  the  animals. 


56 


UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


OAT  GRASSES  (DANTHONIA) 

There  are  four  species  of  oat  grasses  in  the  State.  They  are  leafy 
and  palatable,  but  being  rather  scarce  they  contribute  little  to  the 
forage  crop.     California  oat  grass  is  among  the  most  abundant. 

Description  of  Oat  grasses. — These  are  tufted,  shallow-rooted  peren- 
nials with  leafy  base;  panicles  small  with  a  few  rather  large  spikelets; 
glumes  overtopping  all  the  florets;  lemmas  2-toothed,  with  a  twisted 
bent  awn  from  the  base  of  the  teeth.  The  culms  readily  disjoint  at  the 
lower  nodes.  At  the  base  of  each  joint,  inclosed  in  its  sheath,  is  a  self- 
fertilized  spikelet  with  grain  more  than  twice  the  size  of  those  of  the 
terminal  spikelets. 

California  oat  grass  (Danthonia  californica)  is  2-3  ft.  (60-90  cm.) 

tall,  with  abundant  smooth  foliage; 
spikelets  usually  3  or  4,  about  z/i  in. 
(18  mm.)  long,  on  spreading  pedi- 
cels.    (Fig.  41). 

Distribution  and  Habitat.  —  It 
occurs  sparsely  in  well-drained  or 
sometimes  moist  soils,  from  sea  level 
to  about  8,000  feet,  being  most 
abundant  in  the  Coast  ranges  as  far 
south  as  San  Luis  Obispo  County. 
The  associated  species  are  com- 
monly brome  grasses,  blue  grasses, 
and  fescues.  It  is  practically  never 
the  dominant  plant. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. 

— There   is   a  large   proportion   of 

fine,  basal  leafage  which  is  relished 

by  stock,  and  grazed  as  closely  as 

that  of  the  more  abundant  choice 

blue  grasses.     The  only  drawback 

is  that  there  is  not  enough  of  it,  the 

species    being    nowhere    abundant. 

The  amount  of  seed  produced  is 

rather  small.     In  the  Bay  region 

and  in  San  Joaquin  valley  the  flower 

stalks  are  produced  in  April,  and  early  in  June  the  seed  is  cast.     Because 

the  seed  is  large  it  must  be  trampled  into  the  ground  to  insure  good 

germination. 


Fig.  41. — California  oat  grass  {Danthonia 
californica) . 


Buii.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  57 

American  oat  grass  (Danthonia  americana) ,  with  shorter  culms  and 
hairy  foliage;  few-flowered  oat  grass  (D.  unispicata),  like  American 
oat  grass  but  smaller  and  having  only  a  single  spikelet;  and  mountain 
oat  grass  (D.  intermedia) ,  with  narrow  panicles  of  several  spikelets,  are 
also  leafy  and  relished  by  stock,  but  are  likewise  of  scattered  occurrence. 

REDTOP-NEEDLE  GRASS-TIMOTHY  TRIBE  (AGROSTIDEAE) 

The  redtop-needle  grass-timothy  tribe  embraces  a  large  number  of 
forage  grasses.  The  much  esteemed  cultivated  hay  plants,  timothy 
and  redtop,  belong  to  this  tribe.  The  needle  grasses,  redtops,  reed 
grasses,  muhlenbergias,  dropseed  grasses,  and  timothies  are  the  most 
important  groups.  These  grasses  are  characterized  by  1-flowered 
spikelets,  very  small  except  in  needle  grasses  and  three-awn  grass, 
pediceled  in  open,  narrow  or  spikelike  panicles. 

NEEDLE  GRASSES  (STIPA) 

California  has  fifteen  species  of  needle  grasses,  most  of  them  being 
grazed  with  relish.  The  stiff  awns  and  sharp-pointed  seeds  of  some 
are  said  to  cause  mechanical  annoyance  to  livestock  but  seldom  of  a 
serious  nature.  The  seeds  are  widely  disseminated  by  attachment  to 
animals.  They  are  essentially  pasture  grasses  but  some  are  cut  for 
hay.  As  a  whole  the  needle  grasses  come  in  late  in  the  re  vegetation  of 
a  range,  their  invasion  and  establishment  following  those  of  the  brome 
grasses,  the  fescues,  and  the  blue  grasses.  The  most  important  species 
are:  Nodding  needle  grass,  western  needle  grass,  desert  needle  grass, 
Thurber  needle  grass,  small  needle  grass,  curly-awned  needle  grass,  and 
certain  allied  species. 

Description  of  Needle  Grasses. — They  are  perennial  bunch  grasses  with 
simple  culms,  narrow  or  rolled  blades;  spikelets  long  and  narrow  with 
thin,  pointed  glumes,  the  florets  with  a  needlelike  point  at  the  base  and 
a  slender,  twisted,  bent  awn  from  the  tip.  The  awns  untwist  when  wet 
and  twist  again  in  drying.  The  sharp-pointed  seeds  (the  mature  florets) 
are  thus  screwed  into  the  soil,  effectively  planting  themselves. 

KEY   TO    NEEDLE    GRASSES 

la.   Panicle  very  loose  and  drooping 1.  S.  pulchra. 

lb.   Panicle  narrow,  loose  or  dense,  not  drooping. 

2a.  Awns  very  feathery 3.  S.  speciosa. 

2b.   Awns  not  feathery  or  minutely  so. 

3a.  Awns  minutely  feathery  (seen  by  holding  panicle  against  the  light) 

2.  S.  occidentalis . 

3b.   Awns  not  at  all  feathery. 

4a.   Awns  about  J^  in.  (10  to  12  mm.)  long 4.  S.  columbiana. 

4b.  Awns  4  to  6  in.  long 5.  S.  comata. 


58 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


1.  Nodding  needle  grass  (Stipa  pulchra)  grows  2-3  ft.  (60-90  cm.) 
tall  in  dense  tufts  with  rather  rough  foliage;  panicles  \i~Y2  the  entire 
length  of  the  plant,  conspicuously  drooping;  glumes  purplish;  awns 
mostly  2-3  in.  (4.5-7  cm.)  long.  (Fig.  42).  This  California  species 
was  formerly  called  S.  setigera,  being  confused  with  a  Mexican  species. 


Fig.  42. — Nodding  needle  grass  {Stipa  pulchra). 


Distribution  and  Habitat. — Nodding  needle  grass  is  most  abundant 
in  the  Coast  Range  where  it  inhabits  the  warmer  slopes,  open  well- 
drained  flats,  and  sparsely  timbered  areas  of  the  foothills  and  valleys. 
It  ranges  in  elevation  from  near  sea  level  to  about  5,500  feet.  The 
cover  is  sometimes  unusually  dense,  the  species  being  dominant  in 
favorable  sites.  It  is  among  the  largest  of  the  more  valuable  pasture 
needle  grasses. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — This  species  produces  a  large 
amount  of  basal  herbage  (leafy  shoots)  which  is  eagerly  sought  by  stock. 
Being  comparatively  fine  and  succulent  over  a  long  growing  period  the 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


59 


leafage  is  relished  nearly  as  much  by  sheep  as  by  cattle  and  horses.  It 
ranks  high  as  late  autumn  and  winter  feed.  As  evinced  by  the 
aggressiveness  and  the  numerous  seedling  plants  found  on  conservatively 
grazed  lands,  the  seed  habits  are  strong.  It  matures  in  June.  The 
amount  of  seed  produced  to  a  plant  is  large.  Figure  43  illustrates  the 
replacement  of  certain  fescues,  barley  grasses  and  others  by  nodding 
needle  grass.  Between  the  tufts  grow  wild  oats,  bur  clover,  and 
alfilaria,  a  forage  combination  of  superior  quality.  The  herbage  of 
nodding  needle  grass  remains  green  long  after  the  associated  annuals 
have  matured.  Much  may  be  expected  of  this  valuable  grass  in  the 
re  vegetation  of  the  winter  grazing  grounds. 


Fig.  43. — Replacement  of  brome  grasses,  fescue  grasses, 

(Stipa  pulchra). 


d  other  herbs  by  nodding  needle  grass 


Small-flowered  needle  grass  (Stipa  lepida)  differs  from  nodding 
needle  grass  in  having  much  smaller  spikelets,  the  awns  1-1%  in.  (23^12 
mm.)  long. 

This,  too,  is  essentially  a  plant  of  the  Coast  Range,  being  common 
from  the  Bay  region  to  San  Diego  and  east  to  San  Bernardino.  It  is 
also  found  in  Butte  County  and  a  slender  variety  extends  into  the 
northern  part  of  the  State.  Its  range  is  from  near  sea  level  to  the 
lands  below  the  timbered  type.  The  large  amount  of  rather  fine  basal 
leafage  is  grazed  with  much  relish  throughout  the  season  and  is  especi- 
ally sought  after  the  herbage  of  the  annual  vegetation  has  dried  up. 
The  seed  is  cast  in  June. 


60 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


2.  Western  needle  grass  (Stipa  occidentalis)  grows  in  small  tufts 
with  a  mass  of  fine  leaves  at  the  base;  culms  mostly  less  than  15  in. 

(37  cm.)  tall,  the  panicle  narrow  but  loose,  about  J£  the 
entire  height  of  the  culm;  awns  1-1 3^  in.  (20-30  mm.) 
long.     (Fig.  44). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — As  the  name  occidentalis 
implies,  this  species  is  confined  to  the  far  West.  Its 
range  in  the  State  is  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mts.,  and  it 
is  common  from  the  vicinity  of  Mt.  Shasta  southward, 
and  in  the  southern  Coast  ranges  between  elevations  of 
3,000  and  10,000  feet.  The  stand  is  usually  quite 
scattered  but  occasionally  it  forms  the  most  conspicu- 
ous vegetation.  Tests  conducted  on  ranges  in  Oregon 
show  that  this  species  is  comparatively  drought 
enduring. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Western  needle 
grass  begins  growth  early,  and  since  the  leafage  is  late 
Fig.  44.— western  to  mature  on  the  high  ranges,  being  green  well  into 
wcidentafLT.8  °  September,  sheep  as  well  as  cattle  and  horses  feed  upon 
it  over  a  long  season.  Cattle  and  horses  sometimes 
consume  the  flower  stalks  and  seed  heads  until  about  the  time  the  seeds 
are  cast.  Reproduction  is  comparatively  strong  but  the  plant  is  not 
so  aggressive  as  nodding  needle  grass.  The  seed  ripens  in  July  and 
August. 

Thurber  needle  grass  (Stipa  thurberiana)  resembles  western  needle 
grass,  but  the  foliage  is  rough  and  the  spikelets  are  a  little  larger.  This 
grass  is  most  common  on  the  summer  range  from  central  California 
northward,  between  elevations  of  4,000  and  8,000  feet.  It  occupies 
rather  dry  soils  of  the  timber  and  brush  types.  The  growth  is  scattered. 
The  dense  tufts  of  fine  basal  leafage  are  grazed  with  relish  and  it  is 
unfortunate  that  the  species  is  not  more  abundant.  The  seed  heads 
are  usually  plump  and  well  filled  where  growth  is  favorable.  The  seed 
is  scattered  during  July  and  August. 

Elmer  needle  grass  (Stipa  elmeri)  is  coarser,  2-3  ft.  (60-90  cm.) 
tall,  with  minutely  hairy  foliage  and  narrow  panicles  6-12  in.  (15-30 
cm.)  long.  This  occurs  sparingly  throughout  the  State  in  timber  and 
brush  lands.  The  elevational  range,  the  character  and  abundance  of 
the  leafage  and  the  forage  value  are  much  the  same  as  those  of  Thurber 
needle  grass. 

3.  Desert  needle  grass  (Stipa  speciosa)  is  densely  tufted,  1-1 M  ft- 
(30-45  cm.)  tall,  with  tightly  rolled,  stiff  leaves;  the  narrow  panicles  are 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


61 


Fig.  45. — Desert  needle  grass 
(Stipa  speciosa). 


growth  has  ceased. 


about  J^  the  entire  height  of  the  culm,  glistening 
white  from  the  thin  shining  glumes  and  the 
feathery  lower  part  of  the  awn.     (Fig.  45). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Desert  needle  grass 
grows  in  low,  dry  lands  and  arid  hills  from  central 
California  southward,  being  most  common  in  the 
Mojave  desert  and  the  region  north  to  Mono 
Lake.  The  elevational  range  is  to  about  6,000 
feet.  Because  of  the  low  carrying  capacity  of 
these  lands  the  stand  is  scattered,  yet  it  often 
forms  the  most  conspicuous  herbaceous  vegeta- 
tion. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — When  young 
the  leafage  is  grazed  closely  by  all  grazing  animals 
but  when  mature  it  is  grazed  only  by  horses  and 
cattle.  In  the  mature  plants  numerous  fine 
leaves  of  young  basal  shoots  are  intermingled 
with  the  old  foliage,  a  combination  which  appar- 
ently attracts  cattle  and  horses  to  it  long  after 
The  seed  matures  during  May  and  June.  The 
amount  of  seed  produced  to  a  plant  of  this  species  is  intermediate,  con- 
sidering needle  grasses  as  a  whole. 

4.  Small  needle  grass  (Stipa  columbiana)  is  mostly  2-23^  ft.  (60-75 
cm.)  tall,  in  dense  tufts  of  abundant  leafy  blades  and  with  few  culms  to 
the  tuft ;  blades  long,  flat  or  slightly  rolled ;  panicles  4-8 
in.  (10-20  cm.)  long,  narrow,  rather  dense,  purplish; 
spikelets  about  }/i  in.  (5-6  mm.)  long,  with  awns  about 
1  in.  (25  cm.)  long.     (Fig.  46). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Small  needle  grass  grows 
most  commonly  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mts.  of  central 
California  between  elevations  of  about  7,000  and  11,000 
feet.  It  occupies  open  or  thinly  wooded,  well-drained, 
moderately  fertile  soils.  The  growth  is  somewhat 
patchy,  the  species  being  dominant  on  restricted  areas, 
but  more  commonly  sparse.  It  is  a  drought-enduring 
plant. 

Forage  Value  and  Distribution. — The  herbage  of 
small  needle  grass  is  grazed  closely  throughout  the 
foraging  season.  Because  of  the  softer  leafage  sheep 
graze  it  more  closely  than  that  of  many  other  needle 
grasses.  The  seed  crop,  which  is  of  medium  amount 
and    of    good    viability,    ripens    during    August    and 


Fig.  46.— S  mall 
needle  grass  (Stipa 
columbiana) . 


62  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

September.  The  seedlings  are  strong,  probably  because  of  the  effective 
self-planting  of  the  seed,  and  in  the  second  year  they  are  usually  stocky 
and  well-rooted. 

Letterman  needle  grass  (Stipa  lettermani)  resembles  small  needle 
grass,  but  the  leaf  blades  are  inrolled  and  the  panicles  are  looser.  The 
habitat  and  forage  value  are  very  similar  to  that  of  small  needle  grass 
but  the  elevational  range  is  lower.  The  stand  is  usually  scattered. 
Most  of  the  seed  is  dropped  in  August. 

5.  Curly-awn  needle  grass  (Stipa  comata)  grows  in  dense  clumps, 
the  culms  mostly  2-3  ft.  (60-90  cm.)  tall,  the  abundant  basal  foliage 
fine  but  rough;  panicles  loose,  pale,  x/z~V2  the  entire  height  of  the  culm; 
awns  4-6  in.  (10-15  cm.)  long,  loosely  curly. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Curly-awn  needle  grass  occurs  throughout 
the  State  from  near  sea  level  (in  the  Bay  region)  to  an  elevation  of 
about  8,000  feet.  It  occupies  dry,  often  rather  poor  soils  where  it  may 
constitute  the  sub-climax  or  somewhat  permanent  species.12  Usually 
the  stand  is  scattered. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction.— As  spring  and  late  autumn  forage 
for  cattle  and  horses  this  plant  ranks  fairly  high.  Sheep  eat  the  leafage 
somewhat  closely  from  early  spring  to  early  summer.  At  maturity  the 
seeds  cause  some  annoyance  to  stock  but  not  for  long  as  the  seeds  drop 
as  soon  as  they  ripen.  After  the  seeds  are  cast  and  the  herbage  is 
softened  by  the  autumn  rains,  it  is  again  grazed  by  cattle  and  horses. 
The  seed  crop  is  moderate  in  amount  and  apparently  of  good  germina- 
tion strength.     It  is  scattered  in  July  and  August. 

INDIAN  RICE  GRASSES  (ORYZOPSIS) 

There  are  five  kinds  of  Indian  rice  grasses  in  California  but  only  one, 
Indian  mountain  rice,  is  important  on  the  range. 

Description  of  Indian  Rice  Grasses. — They  are  perennial  bunch  grasses 
with  narrow  blades;  spikelets  rather  broad,  with  thin  glumes,  the  florets 
plump,  pointed  at  base,  and  with  a  short  straight  awn  from  the  tip 
(obscured  by  the  hairs  in  Indian  mountain  rice). 

Indian  mountain  rice  (Oryzopsis  hymenoides),  sometimes  called 
sand  grass,  is  densely  tufted,  the  foliage  nearly  as  long  as  the 
culms;  panicle  3-6  in.  (7-15  cm.)  long,  at  maturity  equally  broad,  the 
branches  very  slender  and  widely  spreading;  spikelets  pale  and  shining, 
the  floret  (seed)  nearly  spherical,  black,  densely  clothed  with  white 
hairs.     (Fig.  47) . 

12  Clements,  F.  E.     Plant  indicators.     Carnegie  Inst.,  Washington.    Pub.  No. 
242,  pp.  121-124.     1920. 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


63 


•r- 


Fig.  47. — Indian  mountain  rice  (Oryzopsis  hymenoides) 


Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  is  essentially  a  desert  grass,  often 
being  the  most  abundant  species  on  the  Mojave  desert  and  on  semi- 
arid  lands.  It  occurs  more  or  less  throughout  the  State,  however, 
ascending  into  the  pine  type,  sometimes  to  8,500  feet.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  drought-enduring  grasses. 


64  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  forage  is  relished  by  stock  until 
growth  has  ceased,  when  it  becomes  tough  and  unpalatable.  The 
panicles  of  large,  plump  seeds,  however,  are  then  much  sought  by 
grazing  animals.  The  seed  production  is  large  and,  judging  from  the 
numerous  seedling  plants  on  the  better  sites,  it  is  of  good  quality.  On 
the  desert  the  seed  matures  in  May,  but  elsewhere  in  July  and  early 
in  August. 

REDTOPS  (AGROSTIS) 

There  are  fourteen  native  redtops  and  one  widely  introduced  one, 
the  common  meadow  redtop,  in  California.  They  are  rather  fine  leaved 
plants  of  medium  size  and  fair  palatability  to  stock.  Some  are  sod 
grasses  occupying  moist  or  wet  soils,  and  some  bunch  grasses  growing 
in  similar  or  drier  situations. 

Description  of  Redtops. — These  are  rather  leafy  simple-stemmed 
grasses  with  roughish  blades  and  open  or  narrow  panicles  of  very  small 
V-shaped  spikelets,  the  glumes  longer  than  the  florets.  The  palea 
(see  fig.  6)  is  wanting  in  most  of  the  native  species. 


KEY   TO    SPECIES 
la.   Sod  grasses. 

2a.    Panicle  pyramidal 1.  A.  -palustris. 

2b.    Panicle  narrower,  lower  branches  ascending 2.  A.  diegoensis , 

lb.   Bunch  grasses 3.  A.  exarata  and  like  species. 

1.  Meadow  redtop  (Agrostis  palustris  formerly  known  as  A.  alba) 
is  13^-3  ft,  (45-90  cm.)  tall,  with  strong  rootstocks  forming  a  tough 
sod;  blades  Y^-\i  in.  (3  to  6  mm.)  wide;  panicles  pale  or  purplish-red. 
(Fig.  48). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Introduced  from  Europe  and  escaped 
from  cultivation,  meadow  redtop  grows  rather  sparsely  on  the  better 
soils  from  sea  level  to  about  6,000  feet  in  elevation.  The  volunteer 
stand  is  not  aggressive  in  California,  yet  in  moist,  rich  soils  stands  of 
moderate  density  are  sometimes  seen. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — When  growing  with  other  palatable 
forage  plants  meadow  redtop  is  closely  grazed  by  cattle  and  horses 
especially.  It  is  well  known  to  stockmen  as  a  good  hay  plant.  It 
withstands  heavy  grazing  and  trampling  unusually  well.  It  reproduces 
by  shoots  from  the  rootstocks  as  well  as  by  seed.  The  seed  habits 
are  strong. 


Bul.430] 


RANGE   GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


65 


Fig.  48. — Meadow  redtop  (Agrostis  palustris). 


2.  Leafy  redtop  (Agrostis  diegoensis)  is  the  most  abundant  of  the 
native  sod  formers.  It  has  finer  foliage  than  meadow  redtop  and 
narrower  panicles. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  species  is  found  in  moist  sites  from 
Humboldt  County,  south  along  the  coast,  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  and 
San  Jacinto  mountains.  The  elevational  range  is  from  sea  level  to 
about  7,500  feet.  The  growth  is  rather  scattered  over  most  of  its 
range. 


66  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  herbage  production  on  a  plant 
basis  is  comparatively  large.  Being  relished  by  all  foraging  animals, 
well-rooted  and  apparently  withstanding  grazing  well,  it  is  unfortunate 
the  cover  is  not  denser.  The  seed  ripens  in  August  or  early  in  September 
on  the  more  elevated  lands  of  northern  California. 

Hall  redtop  (Agrostis  hallii)  grows  in  association  with  leafy  redtop. 
It  is  taller,  coarser  and  somewhat  stemmy,  the  panicle  resembling  that 
of  meadow  redtop,  but  the  florets  have  a  tuft  of  soft  hairs  at  base. 

3.  Western  redtop  (Agrostis  exarata)  is  also  a  moisture-loving  species 
but  its  water  requirements  are  less  exacting  than  those  of  some  redtops. 
It  is  found  throughout  the  State,  being  most  abundant 
along  the  coast  and  in  the  mountains  to  about  9,000 
feet.  It  is  densely  tufted,  with  abundant  rough 
foliage  and  long,  narrow,  dense  panicles  with  long- 
pointed  spikelets.  (Fig.  49).  This  grass  varies  in 
size  according  to  its  habitat,  ranging  from  a  few  inches 
with  fine  leaves  to  4  ft.  (120  cm.)  with  coarse  leaves. 
The  florets  sometimes  have  a  delicate  awn  on  the  back. 
Oregon  redtop  (Agrostis  oregonensis)  grows  in 
smaller  bunches  and  has  oblong  open  panicles.  It  is 
found  in  northern  California  where  it  occurs  rather 
sparsely  in  moist  soils  between  elevations  of  3,000  and 
8,000  feet.  Its  palatability  is  similar  to  that  of  red- 
redtop  UgrtJus  tops  generally.     The  seed  ripens  in  August. 

exarata) . 

Ross  redtop   (Agrostis  rossae)  is  a  low  growing 
stocky  grass  of  the  high  Sierras.     It  seldom  occurs 
below  6,000  feet.     It,  too,  requires  fairly  moist  soil  for  good  develop- 
ment.    It  resembles  small  forms  of  western  redtop  but  its  foliage  is 
mostly  at  the  base  and  it  has  smaller  spikelets,  not  long-pointed. 

Idaho  redtop  (Agrostis  idahoensis)  resembles  Ross  redtop  in 
stature  and  habit  of  growth  but  has  an  open  panicle.  It  occurs  in 
moist  meadows  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  San  Bernardino,  and  San  Jacinto 
mountains  between  4,000  and  10,000  feet. 

Thurber  redtop  (Agrostis  thurberiana)  with  slender  culms,  fine, 
soft  foliage  and  open  panicles  is  found  in  the  high  Sierras  where  it 
occupies  bogs  and  moist  swales.     The  stand  is  seldom  dense. 

The  habitat,  forage  value,  and  reproduction  of  these  tufted  redtops 
are  representative  of  the  genus.  Because  of  their  sparse  growth  they 
are  essentially  fillers. 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  67 


REED  GRASSES  (CALAMAGROSTIS) 

The  reed  grasses  are  closely  related  to  the  redtops  but  are  larger  and 
most  of  the  species  grow  in  drier  soils.  There  are  eleven  kinds  in 
California  but  few  are  of  great  importance.  Horses  and  cattle  utilize 
reed  grasses  much  more  efficiently  than  sheep  and  goats.  The  herbage 
is  generally  more  palatable  early  in  the  spring  than  at  any  other  time. 
Some  are  bunch  and  some  sod  grasses.  Three  of  the  bunch  grasses, 
Brewer,  Pacific,  and  purplish  reed  grasses  are  relatively  important. 
Three  sod  formers — reed  pine  grass,  narrow-headed  reed  grass,  and 
blue  joint  reed  grass — are  seldom  abundant  nor  are  they  highly  palatable 
to  all  domestic  foraging  animals. 

Description  of  Reed  Grasses. — These  are  perennials,  with  simple, 
mostly  tall,  culms,  usually  harsh  foliage,  and  open  or  narrow  panicles; 
spikelets  like  those  of  the  redtops  but  the  florets  hairy  at  the  base, 
delicately  awned  from  the  back  and  with  a  minute  hairy  rachilla  joint 
behind  the  palea. 


KEY   TO    SPECIES 
la.   Bunch  grasses. 
2a.   Panicles  open. 

3a.   Culms  not  over  1  ft.  (30  cm.)  tall 1.  C.  breweri. 

3b.    Culms  3-43^  ft.  (90-135  cm.)  tall '. 2.  C.  nutkaensis. 

2b.   Panicle  narrow  or  spikelike 3.  C.  purpurascens. 

lb.   Sod  grasses. 

4a.   Panicle  narrow  or  spikelike 4.  C.  rubescens  and  like  species. 

4b.   Panicle  open 5.  C.  canadensis. 

1.  Brewer  reed  grass  (Calamagrostis  breweri)  is  densely  tufted  with 
a  mass  of  fine  foliage,  3-5  in.  (75-125  cm.)  long  at  the  base,  slender 
culms  and  open  panicles  of  shining  purplish  spikelets.     (Fig.  50). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Brewer  reed  grass  grows  in  moist  open 
or  partly  shaded  sites  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains,  between  eleva- 
tions of  7,000  and  12,000  feet.  It  seldom  forms  a  pure  stand  but  is 
sometimes  the  dominant  species  of  its  association. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  leaf  blades  being  of  fine 
texture,  abundant,  and  largely  basal,  are  sought  by  all  classes  of  stock 
during  the  normal  summer  foraging  season.  The  palatability  of  the 
herbage  is  higher  than  that  of  any  other  reed  grass.     Growing,  as  it 


68 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


*tW         Of  ,» 


Fig.  50. — Brewer  reed  grass  (Calamagrostis  breweri). 


characteristically  does,  in  association  with  many  other  pasture  plants 
it  tends  greatly  to  increase  the  value  of  the  composite  grazing  type  and 
is  the  most  valuable  species  of  this  group.     The  seed  ripens  unevenly 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  69 

within  a  habitat,  and,  indeed,  over  the  range  generally.     The  seeds 
are  scattered  from  early  August  till  well  into  September. 

2.  Pacific  reed  grass  (Calamagrostis  nutkaensis)  is  tall,  coarse 
and  stemmy  with  long,  harsh  blades  }4r%  m-  (6-9  mm.)  wide;  panicle 
6-12  in.  (15-30  cm.)  long,  narrow  but  loose. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  robust  plant  occupies  wet  meadows, 
moist  woods  and  brushlands  along  the  coast  from  central  California 
northward.  The  stand  is  scattered,  the  species  almost  never  con- 
stituting the  bulk  of  the  herbaceous  cover. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Cattle  and  horses  graze  the  herbage 
rather  closely  from  the  first  appearance  of  the  leaves  until  the  seeds  are 
well  formed  but  not  mature.  As  the  seed  approaches  maturity  the 
herbage  becomes  harsh  and  dry  and  is  not  grazed  by  choice  until  the 
coming  of  the  autumn  rains.  Sheep  take  the  leafage  only  in  the  spring. 
The  seed  matures  in  June  and  July.  Like  many  other  reed  grasses, 
the  seed  is  scattered  unevenly,  some  not  dropping  for  several  weeks 
after  it  has  ripened. 

3.  Purplish  reed  grass  {Calamagrostis  purpurascens)  is  densely 
tufted,   1M-2H  ft.   (37-75  cm.)  tall;  commonly  purplish  toward  the 

base;  blades  rough,  rather  stiff;  panicles  3-6  in.  (7-15 
cm.)  long,  dense,  pale  or  purplish.     (Fig.  51). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  grass  grows  sparsely 
in  mountain  meadows  and  elevated  plateaus  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada.  The  altitudinal  range  is  unusually 
wide,  being  1,000  feet  at  Mt.  Tamalpais  to  12,500  feet 
x  or  more  in  the  Sierras.  Even  near  timberline  the  plants 
l?oftis%urlJZta™)a~  are  conspicuously  leafy  and  sometimes  2  feet  high. 
The  growth  nearly  everywhere  is  scattered. 
Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — In  early  spring  the  leafage  is  grazed 
with  relish  and  good  results  by  all  classes  of  livestock.  By  midsummer 
the  herbage  is  harsh  and  is  grazed  with  moderate  relish  only  by  cattle 
and  horses.  The  fall  rains  bring  forth  a  new  growth  of  herbage  which, 
together  with  the  old,  the  animals  graze  somewhat  closely. 

4.  Pine  reed  grass  (Calamagrostis  rubescens)  grows  in  small  tufts 
2-3  ft.  (60-90  cm.)  tall,  purplish  at  the  base,  producing  short  root- 
stocks  which  form  small  patches  of  sod;  foliage  softer  than  in  most 
reed  grasses;  panicles  23^-6  in.  (6-15  cm.)  long,  slender,  pale  or  purplish 
tinged.  Called  "pine  grass"  because  in  the  northwest  it  often  forms  a 
conspicuous  cover  in  association  with  Western  yellow  pine.     (Fig.  52). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Pine  reed  grass  occurs  from  central  Cali- 
fornia northward,  on  well-drained  lands  from  sea  level  (in  the  Bav 


70 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


region)  well  into  the  lower  pine  belt 
to  an  elevation  of  about  8,000  feet. 
The  well  developed  creeping  root- 
stocks  and  the  deep  feeding  roots 
permit  it  to  grow  remarkably  well 
in  dry,  exposed  situations.  The 
stand,  however,  is  sparse. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. 
— Stockmen  are  not  in  agreement 
as  to  the  value  of  pine  reed  grass 
as  a  range  plant,  presumably 
because  of  its  varying  palatability 
at  different  times  in  the  season.  In 
the  spring  the  leafage  is  grazed  with 
nearly  as  much  relish  as  that  of 
other  grasses  of  high  forage  rank, 
and  the  animals  do  well  when  feed- 
ing upon  it.  Late  in  the  summer 
it  is  not  grazed  if  other  good  forage 
is  available.  The  flower  stalks  are 
sent  up  over  a  long  period,  the 
earliest  appearing  in  June  on  the 
lower  ranges,  and  in  July  on  the 
more  elevated  lands.  The  seed 
ripens  between  July  and  September.  Comparatively  few  seed  stalks 
are  produced  but  according  to  tests  made  in  the  northwest  the  germina- 
tion power  of  the  seed  is  good. 

Narrow-headed  reed  grass  (Calamagrostis  inexpansa)  is  lJ^-4  ft. 
(45-120  cm.)  tall,  with  harsh,  stiff  foliage,  and  narrow,  but  not  very 
dense,  panicles;  the  hairs  at  the  base  of  the  florets  are  long  and  copious. 
The  short,  stout  rootstocks  form  small  patches  of  tough  sod.  Like  the 
associated  reed  grasses,  this  species  contributes  relatively  little  to  the 
forage  crop.  It  is  found  in  moist  meadows  and  damp 
open  woodlands,  between  elevations  of  5,000  and  10,000 
feet,  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  to  Sequoia  National  Park. 
The  seed  ripens  in  August  and  September. 

5.  Bluejoint  reed  grass  (Calamagrostis  canadensis) 
is  coarser  than  pine  reed  grass  but  less  so  than  narrow- 
headed  reed  grass;  the  panicle  is  rather  narrow  but 
open  and  at  maturity  somewhat  fluffy  from  the  long 
hairs  at  the  base  of  the  florets.     (Fig.  53). 


Fig.  52. — Reed  pine  graFS  (Calamagrostis 
rubescens). 


Fig.  53.— Bluejoint 
reed  grass  Calamagros- 
tis canadensis) . 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


71 


Distribution  and  Habitat. — Blue  joint  occurs  in  the  Sierra  Nevada 
south  to  Mt.  Whitney.  It  is  strictly  a  wet  soil  grass  occupying 
undrained  meadows,  swamps,  and  stream  banks  between  elevations  of 
4,000  and  10,000  feet.  Here  and  there  it  forms  small  patches  of  pure 
stand. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  herbage  is  seldom  grazed 
closely,  but  cattle  and  horses  take  most  of  the  leafage  leaving  the 
flower  stalks.  The  rank  growth  makes  the  herbage  unattractive  to 
sheep.  The  seed  ripens  in  August.  Tests  made  in  eastern  Oregon 
showed  that  the  germination  power  of  the  seed  is  strong. 


WOOD  REED  GRASS  (CINNA) 

There  is  only  one  species,  broad-leaf 
reed  grass  (Cinna  latifolia).  This  is  a  tall 
slender  perennial  with  simple  culms,  soft 
foliage,  the  blades  about  Yi  in.  (12  mm.) 
wide,  and  handsome  drooping  panicles  of 
small,  green,  V-shaped  spikelets;  the  floret 
is  on  a  minute  stalk  and  the  lemma  bears 
a  short  delicate  awn  from  below  the  tip. 
(Fig.  54). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  species 
grows  at  intermediate  elevations,  in  moist 
or  wet,  usually  shaded  places.  The  stand 
is  inclined  to  be  patchy  and  somewhat  dense 
over  small  areas. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Because 
of  its  limited  occurrence  this  species  is  of 
secondary  forage  value.  The  leafage  re- 
mains green  and  tender  throughout  the 
sjimmer,  hence  it  is  grazed  with  relish  by 
all  foraging  animals.     The  seed  habits  are 

strong.     Tests  conducted  in  the  Blue  Mountains  of  Oregon  gave  seed 

germination  of  more  than  75  per  cent. 


Fig.  54. — Broad-leaf  reed  grass 
{Cinna  latifolia). 


TIMOTHIES  (PHLEUM) 

The  two  timothies  of  California,  alpine  timothy  and  the  introduced 
timothy,  famous  as  a  hay  plant,  are  familiar  to  most  stockmen.  Alpine 
timothy  is  native.  When  the  cultivated  relative  is  included  the  genus 
is  of  great  importance. 


72 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Description  of  Timothies. — They  are  tufted  perennials  with  simple 
culms,  abundant  foliage  and  dense  spikelike  heads  or  panicles;  spikelets 
flat,  the  glume  abruptly  short-awned,  the  floret  (seed)  small  and  round. 
The  spikelets  are  so  crowded  that  the  stout  short  awns  point  outward, 
making  a  bristly  head. 

Alpine  timothy  (Phleum  alpinum)  is  mostly  1-1 J^ 
ft.  (3CM5  cm.)  tall,  the  culms  bent  at  the  base  forming 
a  somewhat  loose  tuft;  panicle  short  oval.  (Fig.  55). 
Distribution  and  Habitat. — Alpine  timothy  may  be 
widely  scattered  or  denser  up  to  a  pure  cover.  It  is 
confined  largely  to  moist  meadows,  swales,  and  bogs, 
and  grows  throughout  the  State  between  elevations  of 
2,000  and  11,000  feet.     It  is  fairly  tolerant  to  shade. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  herbage  is  not 
as  palatable  as  that  of  introduced  timothy  or  the  better 
blue  grasses  but  it  is  relished  more  or  less  by  all  classes 
Sheep  would  probably  graze  the  leafage  closer  but  for  its 
The  plant  withstands  an  enormous  amount  of  trampling. 
Reproduction  is  vigorous  by  means  of  shoots  from  the 
base.     The  seed  ripens  in  August  and  September. 

Cultivated  timothy  (Phleum  pratense)  with  taller 
culms,  somewhat  bulblike  at  base,  and  long  cylindrical 
panicles  (fig.  56),  grows  naturally  to  a  very  limited 
extent  on  the  range.  It  is  common,  however,  in  waste 
places  and  abandoned  cultivated  fields. 


Fig.  55.  —  Alpine 
timothy  (Phleum  al- 
pinum) . 


of  livestock, 
moist  habitat 


DROPSEED  GRASSES  (SPOROBOLUS) 

There  are  three  dropseed  grasses  in  the  State,  one 
annual  and  two  perennials.  They  have  very  small 
pale  spikelets  in  large  open  panicles.  The  grain  shells 
out  of  the  lemma  and  palea  at  maturity,  instead  of 
remaining  within  them  as  in  our  other  grasses.  The 
perennials,  alkali  dropseed  and  rough-leaf  dropseed, 
are  leafy  and  palatable  to  livestock  and  furnish  a 
moderate  amount  of  forage. 

Alkali  dropseed  (Sporobolus  airoides)  is  pale  and 

coarse  and  grows  usually  in  very  large  clumps,  lJ^-2}^ 

ft.  (37-45  cm.)  tall,  with  tough  roots  and  abundant 

basal  foliage;  blades  long,  inrolled  and  rough  toward  the  ends;  panicle 

mostly  about  J^  the  entire  height  of  the  plant,  drab-colored  at  first, 

-^nming  pale  and  open,  the  branches  stiffly  spreading.     (Fig.  57). 


Fig.  56—  Cultivated 
timothy  (Phleum  -pra- 
tense). 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA 


73 


Fig.  57. — Alkali  dropseed  (Sporobolus  airoides). 


Distribution  and  Habitat. — Alkali  dropseed,  as  the  name  implies, 
thrives  in  alkaline  or  saline  soils.  It  occurs  somewhat  sparingly  through 
the  State,  from  sea  level  to  about  4,000  feet  elevation.  It  is  among  the 
most  drought-enduring  of  native  grasses  and  is  often  conspicuous  in  the 
southern  desert.  It  has  two  types  of  growth,  the  "bunch"  habit  and 
the  sod-like  cover,  the  latter  occurring  only  in  the  better  sites. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — For  an  alkali-enduring  grass  this 
species  ranks  high  in  forage  value.  It  is  more  palatable  than  salt  grass, 
with  which  it  is  often  associated.  While  the  leafage  is  rather  too  coarse 
for  efficient  use  by  sheep,  it  is  grazed  throughout  the  season  with  good 


74  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

results  by  cattle  and  horses,  especially  if  the  first  grazing  occurs  before 
the  foliage  becomes  tough.  Stockmen  are  inclined  not  to  feed  salt 
when  the  animals  pasture  on  this  type  of  feed,  assuming  that  they  do 
not  become  salt  hungry.  Alkali  lands  often  do  not  contain  common 
salt,  therefore  before  discontinuing  the  feeding  of  salt  one  should  make 
sure  that  the  alkali  contains  the  chlorine  of  true  salt.  This  had  best  be 
determined  by  sending  a  small  sample  of  the  surface  soil  to  a  chemist. 
The  seed  ripens  in  August  and  September.  The  seed  habits  appear  to 
be  good. 

Rough-leaved  dropseed  (Sporobolus  asperifolius)  is  low  and  spread- 
ing, with  extensively  creeping  runners  and  numerous  slender  culms  with 
fine  foliage;  panicles  large  and  open  with  very  fine  branches,  falling 
from  the  culms  and  rolling  as  tumbleweeds.  This  dropseed  occurs  in 
moist  saline  bottomlands  of  the  valleys  and  foothills  from  Lassen  County 
to  Death  Valley.  The  elevational  range  is  seldom  more  than  about  5,500 
feet.  It  is  not  nearly  so  abundant  as  alkali  dropseed.  In  palatability 
it  is  similar  to  salt  grass.  The  creeping  rootstocks  and  its  characteristic 
occurrence  on  adobe  soils  make  close  grazing  possible  without  apparent 
injury. 

MUHLENBERGIAS  (MUHLENBERGIA) 

Ten  muhlenbergias  are  found  in  the  State  but  all  grow  so  sparsely 
or  produce  so  little  herbage  that  in  forage  value  they  are  fillers  only. 
While  some  make  a  mat  of  tangled  stems  and  leaves,  such  patches  are 
small.  The  herbage  and  stems  of  some  of  the  best  species  early  become 
woody  and  unpalatable.  Some  rather  unpalatable  kinds  have  nearly 
disappeared  from  the  range  because  of  their  inability  to  withstand 
trampling.  The  best  forage  species  are:  Porter  muhlenbergia,  Jones 
muhlenbergia,  and  short-leaf  muhlenbergia. 

Description  of  Muhlenbergias. — These  are  rather  low  wiry  perennials, 
with  fine  foliage  and  very  small,  pointed  or  delicately  awned  spikelets 
in  narrow  or  loose  panicles. 

KEY   TO    SPECIES 

la.    Panicles  loose,  as  broad  as  long 1.  M.  porteri. 

lb.   Panicles  narrow. 

2a.   Plants  in  tufts  with  basal  foliage  3-6  in.  (7-15  cm.)  long 2.  M.jonesii. 

2b.   Plants  forming  little  mats,  the  culms  bent  or  creeping  at  base;  blades 

short 3.  M.  squarrosa. 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


75 


Fig.  58. — Porter  muhlenbergia 
(Muhlenbergia  porteri) . 


1.  Porter  muhlenbergia  {Muhlenbergia 
porteri) ,  known  also  as  black  grama  and 
mesquite,  grows  in  large  loose  masses; 
culms  slender  with  numerous  spreading 
branches ;  foliage  fine,  rather  sparse ;  panicles 
at  maturity  about  as  broad  as  long,  the 
spikelets  on  long  delicate  pedicels,  purplish, 
awned.     (Fig.  58). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  species 
occurs  sparsely  on  exposed  hillsides  and 
deserts  in  southern  California,  seldom  above 
7,000  feet.  It  is  a  curious-looking  grass 
because  of  its  half -shrub  form  of  growth.  It 
often  forms  tangled  masses  in  association 
with  buckbrush,  oak,  and  other  protective 
vegetation.  The  hardened  branching  culms, 
unlike  most  other  grasses,  are  perennial  and 
remain  green  and  somewhat  succulent  the 
whole  year. 
Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  herbage  is  palatable  to  all 
livestock  classes,  and  in  winter  the  stems  are  devoured  by  cattle  and 
horses  with  moderate  relish.  Where  no  more  succulent  forage  is  avail- 
able stems  three  to  five  years  old  are  closely  grazed.  The  seed,  which 
is  fairly  abundant,  ripens  in  July  and  August. 

2.     Jones  muhlenbergia   (Muhlenbergia  jonesii)  is  densely  tufted, 
with  a  mass  of  rough  loosely  curled  foliage  at  the  base;  culms  slender, 
1-13/2  ft.  (30^5  cm.)  tall;  panicles  narrow,  spikelets 
pointed  or  awn-tipped.     (Fig.  59). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  species  occurs  only 
in  northern  California  in  meadows  and  exposed  lands 
of  intermediate  elevations.     The  stand  is  sparse. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  herbage  being 
fine  and  abundant,  stock  graze  it  closely,  sheep  pre- 
ferring it  to  that  of  coarser  grasses.     Unfortunately 
the  species  is  never  abundant  over  large  areas.     The 
seed  habits  are  not  very  strong.     The  seed  mostly 
ripens  and  drops  in  August. 
Mountain  muhlenbergia   (Muhlenbergia  montana)   is  similar  to 
Jones  muhlenbergia  but  is  taller  and  the  spikelets  have  loosely  curled 
awns  Yx-%  in.  (10-18  mm.)  long.     This  species  has  an  abundance  of 
comparatively  coarse  basal  leafage  3-5  in.  (7-12  cm.)  long.     It  grows 


Fig.  59. — J  one! 
muhlenbergia  (Muhl 
enbergia  jonesii) . 


76  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

thinly  on  rather  dry,  often  shallow  soils  between  elevations  of  5,000 

and  9,000  feet  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  in  the  region  of  Lake  Tahoe. 

The  herbage  is  grazed  by  all  livestock  but  is  not  highly  relished  late  in 

the  season. 

3.     Short-leaved  muhlenbergia  (Muhlenbergia  squarrosa)  grows  in 

tough  bunches  or  mats  with  flat  spreading  culms  and  short  blades; 
panicles  narrow,  closely  flowered;  spikelets  awnless. 
(Fig.  60). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  mountain  plant  is 
most  abundant  in  northern  California,  the  region  of 
Lake  Tahoe  being  about  the  center  of  distribution.  It 
is  most  common  on  thin,  inferior  soils  between  eleva- 
tions of  7,000  and  10,000  feet.  The  stand  is  often 
hort-    Patchy  and  closely  matted. 

leaved  muhlenbergia  Foraqe   Value  and  Reproduction. — This  species  is 

{Muhlenbergia  squar-  at  i 

rosa-)  grazed   closely   only   early   in   the   season,   for   as   it 

approaches  maturity  the  leafage  becomes  tough  and 
unpalatable.  Moreover,  the  stemminess  and  scant  herbage  do  not 
attract  stock,  especially  cattle  and  horses.  The  seed  ripens  in  August 
and  early  September,  only  a  small  amount,  apparently,  being  produced. 

Slender  muhlenbergia  (Muhlenbergia  filiformis)  is  similar  to  short- 
leaved  muhlenbergia  but  it  is  smaller  and  not  so  wiry  and  tough  and 
makes  softer  mats  with  finer  foliage.  It  is  also  a  mountain  plant, 
occurring  scatteringly  in  meadows  and  protected  glades  between  eleva- 
tions of  6,000  and  10,000  feet,  from  Siskiyou  County  south,  in  the 
Sierra  Nevada,  San  Bernardino,  and  San  Jacinto  mountains.  The 
plants  are  very  stemmy  (sometimes  50  or  more  culms  to  a  plant),  hence 
the  short,  sparse  leafage  is  not  very  attractive  to  stock.  Sheep,  how- 
ever, graze  it  with  advantage. 

Aparajo  muhlenbergia  (Muhlenbergia  repens)  is  low,  extensively 
creeping  and  freely  branching  with  short  fine  blades  and  small  narrow 
panicles.  This  little  grass  is  found  only  in  the  deserts  of  Inyo  County 
(Funeral  Mts.).  In  moist  situations  dense  patches  are  formed.  The 
flower  stalks  sometimes  appear  in  December  and  January  but  the  seed 
seldom  ripens  until  April.  The  herbage  is  palatable  to  stock  but  the 
species  is  too  scarce  to  be  of  importance. 

DEER  GRASS  (EPICAMPES) 

Only  one  deer  grass  (Epicampes  rigens)  is  found  in  California.  It 
is  a  coarse  bunch  grass  Z-AYi  ft.  (90-135  cm.)  tall,  with  very  tough 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


77 


Fig.  61. — Deer  grass 
(Epicampes  rigens) . 


roots  and  long  rough  blades;  culms  simple; 
panicles  long,  slender,  and  dense;  spikelets  small, 
the  glumes  shorter  than  the  floret;  lemma  3- 
nerved.     (Fig.  61). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Deer  grass  occupies 
well-drained,  open  ground  or  thinly  timbered 
areas  of  the  valleys  and  foothills,  from  Butte 
County  south  in  the  Santa  Barbara  and  San 
Jacinto  mountains.  The  elevational  range  is  up 
to  about  6,500  feet.  Where  ample  moisture  is 
available  early  in  the  season  a  fairly  dense  cover 
is  formed. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Range  stock 
relish  the  herbage  most  before  the  numerous 
coarse  flower  stalks  are  fully  developed.  After 
seed  maturity  the  animals  seldom  graze  deer  grass 
closely  if  other  good  feed  is  available.  The  plant 
must  be  classed  with  the  fillers.  The  seed  ripens 
in  July  and  August.  The  seed  habits  appear  to 
be  strong. 


THREE-AWN  GRASSES  (ARISTIDA) 

There  are  nine  three-awn  grasses  in  California  but  only  three  species 
are  at  all  common  on  the  pasture  lands.  They  are  sometimes  col- 
lectively called  poverty  grass  because  of  their  low  value  as  forage  and 
because  they  often  grow  on  poor  soils.  They  readily  invade  depleted 
ranges  and,  being  early  in  the  succession,  they  are,  in  turn,  sooner  or 
later  replaced  by  species  of  the  more  permanent  types. 

The  three-awns  are  perennial  or  annual  bunch  grasses  with  wiry 
culms,  narrow  or  inrolled  blades  and  rather  long  spikelets;  glumes 
narrow;  florets  with  a  needle-like  base  and  a  3-pronged  awn,  the  prongs 
rough  and  widely  spreading.  The  ripe  floret  (the  seeds)  cause  mechan- 
ical injury  to  stock  in  the  same  way  as  the  seeds  of  certain  brome 
grasses.     (See  page  27.) 

The  more  common  pasture  species  are  spreading  three-awn,  purplish 
three-awn,  and  six-weeks  three-awn.  They  are  valley  and  low  foothill 
plants  of  southern  California,  occurring  from  sea  level  to  the  conifer 
belt.  In  early  spring  and  late  autumn  their  herbage  is  grazed  with 
much  the  same  relish  as  that  of  the  barley  grasses,  and  chemical  analyses 
would  indicate  that  their  nutritive  qualities  are  similar. 


78 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Spreading  three-awn  (Aristida  divaricata)  is  a  densely  tufted 
perennial  having  large  panicles  with  stiffly  spreading  branches.  It 
produces  more  herbage  to  a  plant  than  the  others.  Also  it  is  less 
stemmy  than  some.  It  is  common  on  the  warmer  slopes  where  the 
scattered  tufts  are  large  'and  well-rooted.  The  seed  ripens  in  May 
and  June. 

Purplish  three-awn  grass  {Aristida  pur- 
purea) is  a  tufted  perennial  with  scant  foliage 
and  a  loose  narrow  panicle.  (Fig.  62).  It 
occupies  the  plains  and  desert,  being  rather 
common  in  the  vicinity  of  The  Needles.  It 
probably  never  ascends  beyond  the  chaparral 
type  of  vegetation.  The  herbage  becomes 
harsh  and  dry  early  in  May  after  which  it  is 
grazed  but  little.  The  seed  matures  mostly 
in  May. 

Six-weeks  three-awn  grass  {Aristida 
adscensionis)  is  a  stemmy,  tufted  annual  of 
nearly  the  same  distribution  and  elevational  range  as  that  of  purplish 
three-awn.  On  the  Mojave  desert  it  occupies  inferior  soils  where  little 
other  vegetation  grows.  On  the  ranges  of  potentially  higher  carrying 
capacity  it  indicates  that  the  better  perennial  forage  plants  have  been 
destroyed. 


Fig.  62. — Purplish  three-awn 
grass  (Aristida  purpurea). 


WHEAT  GRASS  AND  BARLEY  GRASS  TRIBE  {HORDEAE) 

The  wheat-barley  grass  tribe  embraces  only  four  genera  of  much 
consequence  on  the  range.  Three  of  these  genera — the  wheat  grasses, 
rye  grasses,  and  old  world  rye  grasses,  yield  herbage  which  is  grazed 
with  good  results  throughout  the  season  by  all  foraging 
animals.  The  fourth,  barley  grasses,  because  of  their 
numerous  stiff  awns,  at  maturity  are  injurious  to 
livestock. 

The  wheat-barley  grass  tribe  may  be  recognized  by 
the  rather  large  spikelets  sessile  on  opposite  sides  of  a 
simple  axis,  the  glumes  persistent,  the  florets  falling  at 
sheath  in  barley  grass  maturityj  or?   -m  barley  grasses,  the  axis  disjointing 

with  a  spikelet  persistent  on  each  joint.  At  the 
summit  of  the  sheath  in  all  these  grasses  there  is  a  pair  of  little  claws. 
(Fig.  63). 


Claws    of 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  79 


WHEAT  GRASSES  (AGROPYRON) 

Eleven  species  of  wheat  grasses  occur  in  California,  but  only  four, 
all  bunch  grasses,  are  of  importance  on  the  range.13  They  are:  slender 
wheat  grass,  bearded  wheat  grass,  Pringle  wheat  grass,  blue-bunch 
wheat  grass,  their  relative  importance  being  in  the  order  given. 

Wheat  grasses  are  rather  coarse-stemmed,  yet  few  if  any  grasses  are 
grazed  with  more  relish  by  all  livestock.  Their  herbage,  however,  is 
used  with  most  advantage  by  cattle  and  horses,  especially  late  in  the 
season.     They  are  most  abundant  in  northern  California. 

The  wheat  grasses  are  among  the  highest  in  the  successional  develop- 
ment of  the  herbaceous  cover.  This  is  because  they  require  a  fertile 
soil  in  which  to  complete  their  cycle  of  growth.  Most  wheat  grasses 
are  rather  tolerant  to  alkali. 

Description  of  Wheat  Grasses. — These  are  perennials  with  simple 
culms,  fairly  abundant  rather  coarse  foliage,  and  upright  spikes,  the 
several-flowered  spikelets  placed  flatwise  on  the  axis. 


KEY   TO    SPECIES 

la.   Spikelets  awnless  or  awn-tipped 1.  A.  tenerum. 

lb.   Spikelets  long-awned. 

2a.   Awns  straight  or  nearly  so 2.  A.  caninum. 

2b.   Awns  spreading  at  maturity. 

3a.   Spikes  rather  thick,  the  awns  %-l  in.  (18-24  mm.)  long,  not  abruptly 

spreading 3.  A.  pringlei. 

3b.   Spikes  slender,  the  awns  V^-^A  in.  (12-18  mm.)  long,  abruptly  spread- 
ing  4.  A.  spicatum. 

1.  Slender  wheat  grass  (Agropyron  tenerum)  has  leafy  upright 
culms  2-4  ft.  (60-120  cm.)  tall,  purplish  at  base,  the  blades  often  34  in- 
(6  mm.)  wide,  flat  or  with  inrolled  margins,  and  narrow  spikes  4  to  6  in. 
(10-15  cm.)  long.  (Fig.  64).  The  foliage  and  especially  the  spike,  is 
often  bluish  tinged.  The  spikelets,  notably  in  plants  of  higher  altitudes, 
sometimes  bend  slightly  to  one  side,  making  the  spike  unsymmetrical. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  species,  found  in  open  woods,  rocky 
exposed  hillsides,  upland  plains,  and  moist  meadows  between  elevations 
of  3,000  and  10,000  feet,  is  California's  most  abundant  and  valuable 

13  Stockmen  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  region  consider  the  wheat  grasses  as 
among  the  most  abundant  and  important  of  forage  plants.  California  ranges 
probably  support  less  wheat  grass  herbage  than  those  of  any  other  important 
far  western  range  State. 


80 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Fig.  64. — Slender  wheat  grass 
{Agropyron  tenerum). 


wheat  grass.  It  is  most  abundant  in  the  region 
of  Mt.  Shasta,  in  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and  the 
southern  mountains.  It  grows  on  lands  that 
contain  some  alkali  but  it  is  not  as  alkali- 
enduring  as  blue-bunch  wheat  grass. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Slender 
wheat  grass  furnishes  choice  feed  for  all  grazing 
animals.  Sheep  graze  the  young  herbage, 
which  remains  tender  until  the  flower  stalks 
are  well  formed,  nearly  as  closely  as  that  of 
the  blue  grasses  and  fescues,  the  leafage  of 
which  is  finer.  Horses  and  cattle  consume  the 
entire  plant  until  the  seeds  fall,  when  the  seed 
stalks  are  left.  As  winter  forage  it  is  second 
to  none,  for  it  cures  well  and  seems  to  retain 
its  high  nutritive  qualities.  Slender  wheat 
grass  produces  an  exceptionally  large  and  fertile 
seed  crop.  Because  of  this  and  the  fact  that 
the  herbage  furnishes  excellent  pasturage, 
many  attempts  have  been  made  to  domesticate 
the  plant.  Under  irrigation  a  good  yield  is  produced  but  the  cover  is 
seldom  long-lived.  Moreover,  the  yield  is  usually  smaller  than  that  of 
cultivated  plants  that  do  not  grow  in  bunches.  The  period  of  matur- 
ing seed  is  from  late  July  until  early  September.  The  flower  stalks 
appear  comparatively  late  in  the  season.  Seed  may  be  purchased  from 
most  seed  firms. 

2.  Bearded  wheat  grass  (Agropyron  caninum)  is  2^-4  ft.  (45-120 
cm.)  tall,  the  bunches  commonly  less  dense  than  in  slender  wheat  grass, 
the  culms  curved  at  the  base;  foliage  somewhat 
softer,  the  blades  about  x/i  in.  (5-6  mm.)  wide;  spike 
"bearded,"  the  awns  Yt-zA  m-  (12-18  mm.)  long. 
(Fig.  65). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Bearded  wheat  grass 
prefers  moderately  moist  meadows  but  is  found  also 
on  exposed,  dry  situations  where  good  stands  are 
sometimes  produced.  The  range  in  elevation  is 
between  about  3,500  and  9,500  feet,  but  the  best 
growth  is  at  intermediate  altitudes.  The  most 
forage  is  produced  in  the  Sierra  Nevada,  southern, 
and  Santa  Lucia  mountains. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Because  of  the 
awns  which  either  protect  the  seed  heads  from  being 


Fig.  65. — Bearded  wheat 
grass  Agropyron  caninum) . 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA 


81 


grazed  or  cause  the  animals  some  distress  if  the  heads  are  eaten,  the 
best  pasturage  is  obtained  before  the  seeds  are  well  developed.  Sheep 
have  not  been  observed  to  devour  many  of  the  mature  heads.  Early 
in  the  season  an  abundance  of  basal  leafage  is  produced  which  livestock 
greatly  relish.  While  the  awns  are  not  very  long  or  stiff  stockmen  have 
found  that  the  mature  heads  of  bearded  wheat  grass  in  hay  are  objec- 
tionable, especially  for  sheep.  The  seed  crop,  which  matures  between 
July  and  September,  is  fairly  large  and  of  good  germination  strength. 
Generally  the  seed  is  dropped  unevenly.  Reproduction  is  unusually 
good  under  favorable  conditions  where  plants  are  allowed  to  mature 
seed.  Presumably  the  unpalatability  of  the  seed  heads  favors  repro- 
duction. 

3.  Pringle  wheat  grass  (Agropyron  pringlei)  grows  in  rather  loose 
tufts,  the  culms  bent  at  the  base,  mostly  1-1  Yi  ft.  (30-45  cm.)  tall; 
leaves  smooth,  rather  scant;  heads  2-4  in.  long,  the  spikelets  rather 
broad  and  loose,  the  awns  somewhat  curly. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Pringle  wheat  grass  is  important  as  a 
pasture  plant  chiefly  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  where  it  occurs  between 
7,000  and  10,500  feet.  The  best  growth  is  attained  in  meadows  between 
8,000  and  9,000  feet,  though  it  sometimes  makes  fair  stands,  also,  on 
rocky  outcrops.     The  species  almost  always  grows  sparsely. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  herbage  is  palatable  to  all 
classes  of  livestock,  but  it  grows  too  sparsely  to  be 
of  very  great  value.  Moreover,  it  occupies  semi- 
scab  or  rocky  lands  and  gravel  slides  which  are 
largely  inaccessible  to  grazing  animals.  The  seed 
crop  ripens  in  August  and  September. 

4.  Blue-bunch  wheat  grass  (Agropyron  spicatum) 
is  taller  and  more  slender  than  Pringle  wheat  grass 
and  grows  in  denser  tufts;  heads  very  slender,  the 
spikelets  narrow,  the  awns  at  maturity  horizontally 
spreading.     (Fig.  66). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  species  is  found 
in  the  foothills  and  low  mountains  in  northern  Cali- 
fornia. It  is  typical  of  glades  and  exposed  sites  and 
thrives  in  soils  of  low  water  content. 

Forage    Value    and    Reproduction. — Everywhere 

blue-bunch  wheat  grass  is  grazed  closely  by  foraging 

animals   but,   unfortunately,   it   produces   so   little 

forage  as  to  be  relatively  unimportant.     This  state- 

1   ment  would  be  surprising  to  stockmen  of  Washing- 


wheat    grass    (Agropyron 
spicatum) . 


ton  and  Oregon  where  blue-bunch  wheat  grass  in 


82  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

many  sections  occupies  great  areas,  and  furnishes  most  of  the  feed.  As 
a  fall,  spring,  and  winter  feed  it  is  preeminent.  When  the  fall  rains' 
come  on,  usually  in  September,  blue  bunch  wheat  grass  is  awakened 
to  growth,  and  for  two  months  or  more,  according  to  the  altitude  and 
physiography,  continues  its  activities.  This  tender  and  succulent 
herbage  is  ravenously  consumed  by  all  classes  of  stock  in  the  fall  as 
well  as  during  the  winter  and  spring.  About  the  middle  of  June  on  the 
lower  areas,  however,  the  foliage  becomes  somewhat  tough  and  unpalat- 
able and  ceases  to  be  of  high  value  for  forage.  Blue-bunch  wheat  grass 
has  been  tried  extensively  under  cultivation,  but  with  indifferent 
success.  Because  of  convenience  in  handling,  the  awnless  form  (Agro- 
pyron  inerme)  has  been  used  most. 

RYE  GRASSES  (ELYMUS) 

There  are  seven  rye  grasses  in  the  State,  of  which  one  is  an  intro- 
duced weedy  annual  of  no  forage  value  and  six  are  native  perennials. 
Considering  the  entire  western  range  the  rye  grasses  are  much  less 
important  as  pasture  plants  than  are  the  wheat  grasses.  Smooth  wild 
rye  grass,  however,  because  of  its  abundance  and  palatability,  is  prob- 
ably as  valuable  on  the  range  as  slender  wheat  grass,  the  most  important 
of  the  wheat  grasses.  Alkali  rye  grass  is  second  in  importance,  followed 
by  Canada  wild  rye  grass,  and  giant  rye  grass.  The  rye  grasses  are 
high  in  the  development  of  herbaceous  range  vegetation. 

Description  of  Rye  Grasses. — Rye  grasses  of  forage  value  are  rather 
coarse  perennials,  with  tall  simple  culms  and  fairly  abundant  foliage; 
the  several-flowered  spikelets  are  borne,  2-A  together,  the  clusters 
overlapping  and  hiding  the  axis. 

KEY   TO    SPECIES 

la.   Spikelets  conspicuously  awned. 

2a.   Spikes  slender,  the  awns  straight 1.  E.  glaucus. 

2b.   Spikes  thick  and  nodding,  the  awns  curved 3.  E.  canadensis. 

lb.   Spikelets  awnless  or  minutely  awned. 

3a.   Sod  grass;  spikes  slender 2.  E.  triticoides. 

3b.   Bunch  grass;  spikes  thick 4.  E.  condensatus. 

1.  Smooth  wild  rye  grass  (Elymus  glaucus)  grows  in  rather  small 
bunches,  the  culms  mostly  3-5  ft.  (90-150  cm.)  tall;  foliage  smooth  or 
nearly  so,  the  blades  very  long,  commonly  \irYi  in.  (5-12  mm.)  wide, 
usually  flat;  spikes  3-8  in.  (7.5-20  cm.)  long,  the  awns  j^-1  in.  (12-24 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


83 


Fig.  67. — Smooth  wild  rye  grass 
(Elymus  glaucus) . 


mm.)  long.  (Fig.  67).  This  species  is  vari- 
able in  width  of  blade,  size  of  spike,  and  length 
of  awns. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Smooth  wild  rye 
grass  occurs  throughout  the  State,  from  near 
sea  level  to  an  elevation  of  10,000  feet  or  more. 
It  occupies  dry  to  moist  woodlands,  open  parks, 
and  dry  hillsides.  On  long  protected  non- 
irrigated  lands  smooth  wild  rye  grass  is  often 
the  most  abundant  and  conspicuous  plant.  Its 
habit  of  growth  varies  widely  according  to  the 
environment.  On  rich,  moist  soils  it  may 
grow  dense,  6  feet  tall,  the  stems  being  coarse 
and  leafy.  In  less  fertile  and  drier  areas,  it 
may  be  low  of  stature,  with  but  little  leafage,  and  the  stand  may  be 
much  scattered.     It  probably  never  makes  a  pure  stand. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Horses  and  cattle  graze  the  leafage 
with  relish  and,  early  in  the  season,  a  portion  of  the  stems.  Sheep 
graze  the  plant  with  advantage  early  in  the  season  but  later,  because  it 
is  less  relished,  they  trample  or  otherwise  destroy  much  of  it.  The 
seed  heads  are  eaten  sparingly  by  horses  but  they  are  mostly  beyond 
the  reach  of  sheep.  Smooth  wild  rye  grass  produces  a  large  amount  of 
seed  of  good  germination  power.  In  the  foothills  and  valleys,  as  for 
example,  in  Shasta  County,  the  seed  ripens  early  in  July,  whereas  on 
the  high  summer  range  it  does  not  mature  until  late  in  August.  The 
seed  drops  soon  after  ripening.  Under  deferred  grazing  smooth  wild  rye 
grass  is  sure  to  increase  appreciably  on  the  winter  ranges.  Growing  in 
association  with  wild  oats,  needle  grasses,  brome  grasses,  and  bur  clover, 
as  it  does,  smooth  wild  rye  grass  is  a  valuable  feed. 

2.  Alkali  rye  grass  {Elymus  triticoides)  has  long  running  rootstocks 
and  forms  a  tough  sod;  culms  mostly  3-4  ft.  (90-120  cm.)  tall,  with 
long  rather  stiff  blades  and  greenish  drab-colored  spikes  tapering  to 
the  tip. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Alkali  rye  grass  is  essentially  a  plant  of 
moist  bottomlands  and  slightly  alkaline  or  brackish  flats,  but  it  occurs 
also  on  mountain  slopes  and  in  open  timber,  reaching  an  elevation  of 
10,000  feet.  The  best  stands  are  in  southern  California,  though  even 
there  it  practically  never  forms  a  pure  cover. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  forage  of  alkali  rye  grass  is 
utilized  with  most  advantage  by  cattle  and  horses.  At  best,  however, 
it  is  of  secondary  pasture  value.     The  seed  crop  ripens  in  July  on  the 


84  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

lower  lands  in  the  southern  parts,  and  in  August  and  September  in  the 
mountains.     The  seed  habits  appear  to  be  moderately  strong. 

3.  Canada  wild  rye  grass  (Elymus  canadensis)  grows  in  dense 
clumps,  with  abundant  coarse  grayish  foliage  and  dense  nodding  spikes, 
the  awns  somewhat  curled  and  spreading  at  maturity. 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  species  occurs  from  sea  level  to 
elevations  which  favor  the  growth  of  yellow  pine  and  other  conifers  of 
the  Transition,  or  intermediate  life  zone. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — The  flower  stalks  appear  during 
May  and  July  and  the  seed  ripens  between  July  and  September.  A 
large  seed  crop  is  produced  under  favorable  conditions.  When  fully 
developed  the  leafage  is  coarse  and  rough,  hence  is  of  much  less  value 
than  early  in  the  season.  After  the  autumn  and  winter  rains  cattle 
and  horses  graze  the  softened  leafage  with  good  results. 

4.  Giant  rye  grass  (Elymus  condensatus)  is  a  taller  coarser  plant 
with  short  rootstocks,  forming  large  tussocks;  the  foliage  is  grayish, 

harsh,  and  stiff;  spikes  dense,  sometimes  z/i  in.  (18 
mm.)  thick.     (Fig.  68). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Giant  rye  grass  grows 
in  dry  open  situations  throughout  the  State,  from 
sand  dunes  near  sea  level  to  9,800  feet,  most 
abundantly  in  the  Coast  ranges. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Horses  and 
cattle  graze  the  leafage  with  moderate  relish  except 

Fig.  68.— Giant  rye  grass  °  °  . 

(Elymus  condensatus) .      in  the  autumn  before  the    advent    of  the  rains. 
Horses  are  especially  fond  of  the  seed  heads. 

OLD  WORLD  RYE  GRASSES  (LOLIUM) 

There  are  three  old  world  rye  grasses  in  California,  introduced  from 
Europe.  Two  are  valuable  short-lived  perennials  which  have  escaped 
from  cultivation  and  are  common  in  the  interior  valley  and  on  foothill 
ranges  of  the  coast.  The  other  species  (Lolium  temulentum) ,  often 
called  darnel,  is  an  annual  from  the  Mediterranean  region.  It  is  the 
tares  which  the  enemy  sowed  among  the  wheat  in  the  parable  of 
Scripture,  indicating  that  it  was  a  common  weed  in  wheat  fields  in 
Palestine. 

Description  of  Old  World  Rye  Grasses. — These  are  rather  slender 
upright  grasses  with  soft  bright  green  foliage  and  flat  spikes,  the  spikelets 
set  edgewise  on  the  axis. 

Italian  rye  grass  (Lolium  multiflorum)  is  usually  lJ^-2  ft.  (45-60 
cm.)  tall,  and  has  awned  spikelets.  (Fig.  69).  Perennial  rye  grass 
(Lolium  perenne)  is  a  smaller  plant  with  awnless  spikelets.  Italian 
rye  grass  is  the  more  valuable  species  because  of  its  much  greater 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


85 


Fig.  69. — Italian  rye  grass 
(Lolium  multiflorum) . 


abundance.  Both  are  highly  palatable  to  live- 
stock. Attempts  have  been  made  to  extend  these 
grasses  on  the  range,  but  without  much  success 
because  they  require  deep  rich  soil  and  abundant 
moisture.  Moreover,  they  need  a  moderately 
long  and  warm  growing  season  in  which  to  pro- 
duce seed  and  complete  their  growth  cycle,  and 
are  therefore  not  suited  to  seeding  on  high  moun- 
tain ranges.  Under  favorable  conditions  the 
amount  of  good  seed  produced  is  large.  It 
ripens  in  July  and  August. 

BARLEY  GRASSES  (HORDEUM) 

There  are  seven  species  in  California,  four 
native  (three  perennials  and  one  annual),  and 
three  introduced  annuals.  All  have  bristly  spikes 
which  break  up  at  maturity,  the  joint  of  the  axis 
forming  a  sharp  point  below  the  attached  spikelet. 
The  glumes  of  the  three  spikelets  look  like  a  ring 
of  bristles  below  the  single  fertile  floret. 

While  barley  grasses  furnish  a  good  deal  of 
forage  of  fair  quality  early  in  the  season,  they 
are  seriously  objectionable  on  the  range  when 
headed  out  because  of  the  injury  done  to  grazing 
sharply  barbed  awns. 


animals  by  the  stiff 
Meadow  barley  grass  (Hordeum  nodo- 
sum), a  perennial  with  short  fine  awns  (fig. 
70),  is  the  only  one  that  does  not  cause 

annoyance        to 


Fig.  70. — Spike  and  single  joint  of 
meadow  barley  grass  (Hordeum 
nodosum) . 


livestock.  The 
annuals  are  most 
abundant  in  the 
valleys  and  foot- 
hills. 

Wall  barley 
grass  (Hordeum 
murinum)  an  in- 
troduced annual  with  flattish  heads,  1-2  in. 
(24-48  mm.)  wide,  the  awns  1-1 Y2  in.  (24-36 
mm.)  long,  is  the  commonest  and  most 
troublesome  species.  Squirrel-tail  barley 


Fig.  71. — Squirrel-tail  barley  grass 
(Hordeum  jubatum) . 


86  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

grass  (Hordeum  jubatum),  a  native  perennial  bunch  grass,  with  pale 
fluffy  bristly  heads,  the  slender  awns  2-2.5  in.  (5-7  cm.)  long  (fig.  71) 
is  next  in  abundance. 

Both  wall  barley  grass  and  squirrel-tail  barley  grass  inhabit  range 
lands  as  well  as  cultivated  fields.  They  are  grazed  with  good  results 
until  the  heads  are  formed,  after  which  the  awns  cause  serious  annoyance 
to  stock,  working  between  the  teeth,  in  the  tongue,  throat,  eyes,  and 
skin.  Where  the  mature  heads  of  barley  grasses  are  abundant  in  hay, 
stockmen  feed  the  hay  with  safety  only  during  wet  weather,  scattering 
it  on  the  ground.  The  animals  are  not  permitted  to  eat  the  hay  until 
several  hours  after  it  has  been  scattered,  when  the  awns  have  become 
soft  and  are  eaten  without  serious  after-effects.  It  is  best,  however,  to 
cut  barley-infested  hay  before  the  heads  are  formed.  The  barley  grasses 
are  prolific  seed  producers.  Seasons  of  adverse  growth  do  not  appear 
greatly  to  decrease  the  seed  crop.  The  seed  ripens  mostly  in  June  and 
July. 

SQUIRREL-TAIL  GRASSES  (SITANION) 

A  small  group  of  native  perennial  bunch 
grasses,  similar  in  appearance  to  squirrel-tail 
barley  grass,  but  with  coarser  heads  and  more 
rigid  awns.  (Fig.  72).  The  heads  disjoint  in 
the  same  way  as  the  barley  grasses,  and  the 
joints    are    equally    injurious    to    livestock. 

ioSf  withTw^Xtt  sTowi      These  grasses    are    mostly    confined   to   dry, 

jlifC^6  florets  Mlen      rocky,  or  semi-desert  plains. 


GRAMA  GRASS  TRIBE  (CHLORIDEAE) 

The  grama  grasses  are  the  most  valuable  pasture  species  of  this 
tribe.  They  occur  sparingly,  however,  and  are  confined  largely  to  the 
deserts  and  foothills  of  the  South.  The  chloris  grasses  and  Beckmann 
grass,  which  add  to  the  forage  crop,  belong  to  this  tribe.  In  the  grama 
grass  tribe  the  small  spikelets  are  sessile  and  crowded  along  one  side  of 
an  axis  forming  spikes;  the  spikes  are  spaced  along  an  axis  or  clustered 
at  the  summit  of  the  culm. 

Grama  Grasses  (Bouteloua) 

Eight  kinds  are  found  in  the  State,  five  being  perennials  and  three 
annuals.     Blue  grama  grass  is  the  most  abundant  perennial.     They  are 


Bul.430] 


RANGE    GRASSES    OF    CALIFORNIA 


87 


confined  largely  to  the  South.  The  grama  grasses,  while  the  most 
important  pasture  plants  of  the  Southwest,  are  of  secondary  value  in 
California  because  of  their  scattered  occurrence. 

Description  of  Grama  Grasses. — These  are  mostly 
low  bunch  grasses,  with  fine  foliage  and  few  (some- 
times one)  to  several  short  spikes  along  a  main  axis. 
The  spikelets  bear  one  fertile  (seed  bearing)  floret 
tipped  with  3  minute  awns,  and  one  or  two  sterile 
florets  reduced  to  a  3-awned  rudimentary  lemma. 

1.  Blue  grama  grass  (Bouteloua  gracilis),  also 
called  crow-foot  grama  grass,  white  grama  grass,  and 
"buffalo  grass"  (not  true  buffalo  grass)  is  densely 
tufted,  with  a  mass  of  fine  loosely  curly  foliage  at 
the  base;  slender  culms  8-15  in.  (18-37  cm.)  tall, 
and  1-3  curved  dense  spikes  1-1  Yi  m-  (24-36  mm.) 
long.     (Fig.  73). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Blue  grama  grass 
grows  in  the  plains  and  low  mountains  of  the  south, 
being  most  abundant  in  the  San  Bernardino  Mts. 
It  occupies  well-drained  soils  but  never  occurs 
abundantly.  In  drought-endurance  it  ranks  among 
the  best. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. 
— The  herbage  is  eaten  with  unusual  relish  by  stock 
whether  green,  as  hay,  or  dry  on  the  roots.  The  leafage 
cures  on  the  ground  unusually  well  and  makes  excellent 
winter  feed.  It  is  unfortunate  that  there  is  not  more 
of  this  feed.  The  seed  ripens  late,  usually  not  until 
August  and  September. 

Hairy  grama  grass  (Bouteloua  hirsuta)  is  similar 
to  blue  grama  grass,  but  has  bristly  hairs  on  the  glumes. 
Sideoat  grama  grass  (Bouteloua  curtipendula)  is  the 
tallest  of  the  gramas,  and  has  numerous  drooping 
spikes.  (Fig.  74).  Rothrock  grama  grass  (Bouteloua 
rothrockii)  resembles  blue  grama  grass  but  has  4-6 
smaller  spikes.  These  are  perennials  of  high  palata- 
bility,  but  they  occur  so  sparsely  as  to  be  of  little  value. 

CHLORIS  GRASSES  (CHLORIS) 

There  is  only  one  species,   silky  chloris    grass    grJJjf-  ^~^Boute- 
(Chloris  virgata)  in  the  State.     This  is  a  tufted  annual    loua  curtipendula). 


Fig.  73. — Blue  grama  grass 
(Bouteloua  gracilis) . 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


with  spreading  leafy  culms,  the  upper  sheaths  swollen,  and  6-12  pale 

feathery  spikes,  mostly  13^-2  in.  (36-48  mm.)  long,  clustered  at  the 
summit  of  the  culm;  spikelets  small,  the  fertile 
and  sterile  lemmas  silky,  hairy  and  bearing 
slender  awns.    (Fig.  75). 

Distribution  and  Habitat — This  is  a  plant  of 
the  plains  and  foothills  of  the  south,  being  rather 
common  near  Riverside  and  along  the  Colorado 
River.  The  elevational  range  is  from  sea  level 
to  about  5,000  feet.  It  grows  in  dry  soils  but 
seldom  forms  the  dominant  vegetation. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Late  in  the 
spring  silky  chloris  grass  becomes  rather  stemmy 
and  is  not  eaten  with  the  gusto  that  it  is  early 
in  the  season.  Wherever  it  occurs  in  sufficient 
abundance,  however,  it  is  important  as  stock  food. 

Seed  production  is  fairly  large.     It  matures  unevenly,  most  of  the  crop 

being  cast  in  May  and  June. 


Fig.  75. — Silky  chloris  grass 
(Chloris  virgata) . 


BECKMANN  GRASS  (BECKMANNIA) 

There  is  only  one  Beckmann  grass  (Beckmannia  erucaeformis)  in 
North  America.  It  occurs  somewhat  commonly  on  certain  California 
ranges.  It  is  a  rather  stout  lush  annual,  lJ/£-3  ft.  (45-90  cm.)  tall, 
with  flat  blades  and  numerous  short,  stalked  spikes  in  a  narrow  panicle; 
spikelets  nearly  circular,  overlapping  in  the  spike.  (See  genus  Figure 
29,  page  17). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — Beckmann  grass  grows  in  wet  meadows, 
moist  coves,  and  along  stream  banks  from  sea  level  to  an  elevation  of 
about  8,000  feet.  It  occurs  from  San  Francisco  Bay  northward.  The 
cover  is  often  dense  over  small  areas. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Cattle  and  horses  graze  the  entire 
plant  rather  closely  the  season  through,  taking  it  with  more  relish  than 
most  of  the  associated  " water-grasses."  It  can  hardly  be  classed  as 
sheep  feed  because  it  grows  on  wet  lands.  They  are  known  to  relish 
the  herbage,  however,  early  in  the  season  before  it  becomes  coarse.  A 
large  viable  seed  crop  is  produced. 


Bul.  430] 


RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA 


89 


MESQUITE  GRASS  TRIBE  (NAZIAE) 

There  is  but  one  genus  of  this  small  tribe  in  California;  mesquite 
grasses  (Hilaria)  with  two  species.  The  tribe  and  genus  are  charac- 
terized by  spikelets  in  clusters,  the  clusters  falling  entire  from  the  axis. 
The  mesquite  grasses  are  perennials  with  thick  hard  rootstocks,  narrow 
blades,  and  pale  spikes.  The  spikelets  are  in  3's,  one  fertile  in  the 
middle  with  a  staminate  one  on  each  side,  with  a  tuft  of  hairs  at  the 
base  of  the  cluster. 

Galleta  grass  (gah-yea-ta) ,  botanically  Hilaria  rigida,  has  rigid 
white-felty  culms  with  numerous  stiff  spreading  blades;  the  foliage  is 
also  felty  at  first  but  much  of  it  becomes  smooth; 
spikes  2  to  4  in.  (5-10  cm.)  long.     (Fig.  76). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  is  a  plant  of  the 
plains  and  desert,  growing  among  rocks  and  cactus  in 
the  Mojave  and  Colorado  deserts,  from  sea  level  to  an 
elevation  of  about  5,000  feet.  Naturally  the  stand 
is  sparse  on  the  desert  but  in  the  better  soils  it  is 
often  quite  dense. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — While  galleta 
grass  appears  dry  and  stemmy  it  is  highly  palatable, 
especially  to  cattle  and  horses.  It  is  unusually 
drought-enduring  and  readily  "greens  up"  after  a 
good  rain.  While  the  plants  reproduce  largely  by 
means  of  the  rootstocks  the  seed  habits  are  generally 
good.     The  seed  is  disseminated  in  June. 

Tabosa  grass  (Hilaria  jamesii)  resembles  galleta 
grass  but  the  culms  are  more  slender  and  not  felty, 
and  the  leaves  are  longer  and  softer;  spikes  mostly 
2-3  in.  (48-75  mm.)  long.  This,  too,  is  a  plant  of  the  desert  but  it  is 
less  drought-enduring  and  much  less  common  than  galleta  grass,  hence 
occupies  more  protected  habitats.  In  forage  value  and  reproductive 
powers  it  is  similar. 


Fig.  76. — Galleta  grass 
{Hilaria  rigida) . 


SORGHUM  TRIBE  (ANDROPOGONEAE) 

This  tribe  is  represented  in  California  by  only  three  genera,  including 
four  species.  Johnson  grass  and  plumed  beard  grass  occur  naturally 
on  the  range,  being  sometimes  abundant. 


90 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


In  the  sorghum  tribe  the  spikelets  are  in  pairs,  one  perfect  and 
sessile,  the  other  sterile  and  pediceled,  on  the  joints  of  a  raceme.  The 
racemes  break  up  at  maturity  with  the  pair  of  spikelets  attached. 

Johnson  grass  (Holcus  halepensis),  sometimes  called  Andropogon 
or  Sorghum  halepensis,  is  a  robust  perennial  with  vigorous  rootstocks, 

large  blades,  and  an  open  panicle,  the  short 
racemes  of  1-5  joints  borne  at  the  ends  of 
the  branches.  In  the  terminal  joint  there 
are  two  sterile  spikelets,  one  on  each  side  of 
the  fertile  one.     (Fig.  77). 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  old  world 
grass  grows  wild  from  Butte  and  Shasta 
counties  southward  along  the  coast,  and  to 
a  less  extent  in  certain  other  interior  coun- 
ties. It  occupies  well  drained  but  not 
excessively  dry  sites  and  is  unusually 
adaptable.  Pure  stands  are  often  formed, 
for  it  is  exceedingly  aggressive.  A  long 
warm  growing  season  and  mild  winters  are 
essential  to  its  permanence. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — John- 
son grass  probably  has  as  many  enemies  as 
friends.  The  farmer  who  must  fight  it  as  a 
troublesome  weed  or  replace  it  by  intro- 
ducing some  other  crop  where  it  has  long  been  grown  for  hay  or  pasture, 
declares  it  to  be  his  worst  enemy.  Stockmen,  on  the  other  hand,  who 
year  after  year  graze  their  stock  upon  it  or  cut  it  repeatedly  for  hay, 
class  it  among  the  choicest  of  plants.  Methods  of  eradicating  it,  how- 
ever, and  also  of  establishing  a  cover  of  Johnson  grass  are  now  fairly 
well  understood.  Stock  relish  Johnson  grass  when  green  as  well  as 
when  made  into  hay.  It  is  not  a  first-class  permanent  pasture  plant, 
however,  because  (1)  it  becomes  sod  bound  very  readily  and  the  yield 
decreases  rapidly,  and  (2)  the  herbage  occasionally  produces  toxic 
symptoms  in  stock,  hydrocyanic  acid  being  formed  at  certain  stages  of 
its  growth.  When  fed  as  hay  there  are  no  poisonous  effects.  Repro- 
duction is  vigorous  by  means  of  rootstocks,  yet  a  large  amount  of  good 
seed  is  produced. 

Plumed  beard  grass  (Andropogon  saccharoides)  is  a  perennial 
bunch  grass,  mostly  2-3j^  ft.  (60-100  cm.)  tall,  with  woolly  nodes, 
fairly  abundant  foliage  and  a  white  plume-like  head  2-A  in.  (5-10  cm.) 
long,  consisting  of  the  numerous  feathery  racemes;  fertile  spikelet  awned. 


Fig.  77. — Johnson  grass  (Holcus 
halepensis) . 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF   CALIFORNIA  91 

Distribution  and  Habitat. — This  grass  grows  in  the  valleys  and  low 
hills  from  Santa  Barbara  to  San  Diego  and  eastward.  It  occupies  a 
variety  of  soils  but  apparently  prefers  moderately  moist  clayey  lands. 
In  some  localities  it  is  fairly  abundant. 

Forage  Value  and  Reproduction. — Until  seed  maturity  the  leafage  is 
relished  by  pasture  stock.  Horses  and  cattle  graze  the  herbage  closely 
but  sheep  prefer  less  coarse  feed.  It  seems  to  withstand  grazing  well 
and  has  the  reputation  of  being  a  long-lived  pasture  plant.  The  earliest 
flower  stalks  appear  in  February.  The  seed  mostly  matures  in  April 
and  May. 


SUMMARY 

A  Productive  Range 

1.  Profitable  stockraising  depends  on  good  pasture  and  well-bred 
animals.  Overgrazed  ranges  supply  little  feed  of  good  quality.  On 
run-down  pastures  the  unpalatable  and  worthless  plants  have  been  left 
in  possession. 

2.  There  are  two  possibilities  of  improving  the  forage  crop — (a) 
reseeding  with  cultivated  or  introduced  forage  plants,  (b)  revegetation 
(re-establishment  of  climax  vegetation)  by  natural  reseeding.  Reseed- 
ing with  cultivated  plants  is  successful  only  on  moist,  fertile  soils. 
Natural  reseeding  is  practicable  on  all  lands.  By  following  a  system  of 
deferred  and  rotation  grazing  the  valuable  forage  plants  are  allowed  to 
set  seed  and  re-establish  themselves,  yet  no  feed  is  wasted  during  the 
reseeding  period. 

3.  In  order  to  judge  correctly  the  condition  of  the  range  and  to 
apply  the  deferred  and  rotation  grazing  system  it  is  necessary  to  know 
something  of  the  growth  requirements  of  the  plants  of  the  pasture. 

4.  Of  all  the  families  of  plants  of  the  range,  the  true  grasses  are  the 
most  valuable  because  of  their  palatability  generally,  their  wholesome- 
ness,  their  rather  uniform  yield,  their  good  curing  qualities,  and  their 
ability  to  withstand  grazing  and  trampling  better  than  most  other 
plants. 

5.  About  125  of  the  different  kinds  of  grasses  growing  in  California 
are  of  importance  as  food  for  livestock.  About  60  are  highly  valuable 
as  forage,  while  the  others  afford  more  or  less  grazing.  Ten  or  twelve 
with  sharp-pointed  seeds  and  rough  awns  or  "beard"  are  injurious  at 
maturity  to  grazing  animals. 


92  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

How  to  Recognize  the  Grasses 

6.  It  is  easier  to  learn  and  to  remember  the  numerous  kinds  of 
grasses  if  they  are  arranged  according  to  their  relationship. 

7.  To  be  able  to  place  a  given  grass  in  its  proper  genus,  in  order 
to  learn  its  name  and  find  out  what  is  known  of  its  forage  value,  it  is 
necessary  to  understand  something  of  the  structure  of  its  flower  head. 
This  can  be  done  by  comparing  the  flowering  parts  of  the  grass  in 
hand  with  the  descriptions,  keys  and  figures  presented. 

Development  of  Range  Forage 

8.  The  plants  occupying  any  range  are  there  because  of  natural 
selection.  They  grow  and  reproduce  under  the  conditions  prevailing 
there,  because  they  are  better  adapted  to  these  conditions  than  any 
others  that  have  found  their  way  to  this  range. 

9.  The  type  of  vegetation  is  determined  essentially  by  the  character 
of  the  soil  and  of  the  climate.  Lichens  and  mosses  grow  on  rocks; 
annual  plants  on  thin,  rocky,  or  other  inferior  soils;  long-lived  perennials 
on  deep,  fertile  lands. 

10.  If  a  range  is  overstocked,  the  animals  devour  the  good  plants 
so  closely  that  they  are  killed  or  weakened,  while  the  unpalatable  or 
harmful  plants,  which  the  animals  avoid,  are  left  to  seed  and  take 
possession.  Even  if  a  range  is  not  badly  overstocked  the  good  plants 
will  decrease  in  number  if  they  are  not  allowed  to  set  seed. 

The  Range  Grasses 

11.  Fescues,  blue  grasses,  and  brome  grasses  (Festuceae).  This 
tribe  contains  the  largest  number  of  important  forage  grasses.  The 
brome  grasses  appear  early  in  the  development  of  range  vegetation. 
Somewhat  unpalatable  annual  bromes,  the  sharp-pointed  seeds  of  three 
of  them  injurious  at  maturity  to  animals,  are  abundant  on  the  lowland 
winter  ranges.  Perennial  species  are  most  abundant  in  the  yellow  pine 
belt.  They  give  way  under  good  management  to  blue  grasses  and 
fescues.  The  perennial  fescues  and  blue  grasses  are  excellent  forage, 
but  the  melic  grasses,  also  of  this  tribe,  are  only  of  moderate  value  as 
stock  food. 

12.  Oat  grasses  (Aveneae).  This  tribe  contains  the  well-known 
wild  oats  which  affords  excellent  pasture  on  the  foothills  and  valleys 
from  late  fall  to  early  spring.  The  much  smaller  June  grass,  haitf 
grasses,  and  other  grasses  of  this  tribe  afford  good  but  not  abundant 
forage. 


BUL.  430]  RANGE   GRASSES   OF    CALIFORNIA  93 

13.  Redtops,  needle  grasses,  reed  grasses,  and  timothies  (Agrosti- 
deae) .  The  needle  grasses  are  among  the  best  known  and  most  important 
of  the  native  species.  They  are  all  bunch  grasses  of  high  forage  value, 
and  are  common  on  the  summer  and  foothill  ranges.  They  come  in 
late  in  the  re-establishment  of  perennial  grasses  of  a  range,  and  often 
constitute  the  climax  cover.  Cultivated  and  native  timothy,  the  red- 
tops,  and  reed  grasses  also  afford  pasture  on  summer  ranges.  Alkali 
dropseed  which  thrives  where  little  other  good  feed  is  found,  some  of 
the  muhlenbergias,  and  a  few  other  grasses  of  this  tribe  are  important 
on  the  poorer  soils. 

14.  Wheat  grasses  and  barley  grasses  (Hordeae).  There  are  four 
important  genera  in  this  tribe,  three  of  them — wheat  grasses,  rye  grasses, 
and  old  world  rye  grasses — furnish  palatable  forage  throughout  the 
year.  Barley  grasses  at  maturity  are  injurious  to  stock  because  of  the 
sharp-pointed,  rough-awned  seed,  and  should  be  grazed  before  the  heads 
mature  or  in  the  autumn  after  the  rains  have  softened  the  awns.  They 
occur  in  the  valleys  and  foothills.  Wheat  grasses  are  excellent  forage 
but  are  abundant  only  in  the  extreme  northern  part  of  the  State.  The 
rye  grasses  are  palatable  to  cattle  and  horses  but  are  not  abundant. 
The  old  world  rye  grasses  are  palatable  but  grow  only  in  deep  rich  soils 
in  the  valley  and  foothill  ranges. 

15.  Grama  grasses  (Chlorideae).  Grama  grasses,  confined  mostly 
to  the  deserts  and  foothills  of  the  South,  where  they  are  of  great  value 
as  pasture  plants,  grow  thinly  in  this  State,  and  contribute  little  to  the 
forage  crop. 

16.  Mesquite  grasses  (Nazieae).  Galleta  grass  and  tabosa  grass, 
typical  of  the  deserts  and  lower  foothills,  are  highly  palatable  to  cattle 
and  horses. 

17.  Sorghums  (Andropogoneae) .  Johnson  grass,  common  in  the 
South,  is  used  as  forage,  though  it  is  sometimes  poisonous  to  stock,  and 
is  a  bad  weed  in  cultivated  land.  Plumed  beard  grass  furnishes  some 
forage  in  the  southern  part  of  California. 


94  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


LIST  OF  PUBLICATIONS  FOR  SPECIAL  REFERENCE 

Abrams,  LeRoy. 

1923.  Flora  of  Pacific  states.     1:103-255.     figs.  218-607  (Grasses  by  Hitch- 

cock).    Stanford   University    Press,    Stanford   University,    Cali- 
fornia. 

Chase,  Agnes. 

1922.  First  book  of  grasses.     121  p.     94  figs.     Macmillan  Co.,  New  York 

City. 

Hitchcock,  A.  S. 

1920.  Genera  of  grasses  of  the  United  States  with  special  reference  to  the 
economic  series.     U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Bui.  772:1-307.     174  figs. 

1914.  Text-book  of  grasses,  with  especial  reference  to  the  grasses  of  the 
United  States.     276  p.     63  figs.     Macmillan  Co.,  New  York  City. 

Jepson,  Willis  L. 

1925.  A  manual  of  the  flowering  plants  of  California.  (Grasses  by  Hitch- 
cock, A.  S.,  and  Agnes  Chase.)  pp.  72-144.  figs.  60-171.  Asso- 
ciated Students'  Store,  University  of  California,  Berkeley,  Cali- 
fornia. 

Sampson,  Arthur  W. 

1924.  Native  American  forage  plants.     435  p.     199  figs.    John  Wiley  & 

Sons,  Inc.,  New  York  City. 

1923.  Range  and  pasture  management.     421  p.     130  figs.    John  Wiley  & 

Sons,  Inc.,  New  York  City. 
1917.     Important  range  plants:     their  life  history  and  forage  value.     U.  S. 

Dept.  Agr.  Bui.  545:1-61.     pi.  1-54. 
1913.     Reseeding  of  depleted  grazing  lands  to  cultivated  forage  plants. 

U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Bui.  4:1-34.     pi.  1-8.     figs.  1-4. 
1913.     Range  improvement  by  deferred  and  rotation  grazing.     U.  S.  Dept. 

Agr.  Bui.  34:1-16.     pi.  1-5. 

Sarvis,  J.  T. 

1923.  Effects  of  different  systems  and  intensities  of  grazing  upon  the  native 
vegetation  at  the  Northern  Great  Plains  Field  Station.  U.  S. 
Department  Bui.  1170:1-45.     pi.  1-9.     figs.  1-10. 


STATION  PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE  FOR  FREE   DISTRIBUTION 


No. 

253.  Irrigation  and  Soil  Conditions  in  the 
Sierra    Nevada   Foothills,    California. 

262.  Citrus  Diseases   of   Florida   and   Cuba 

Compared   with    those   of   California. 

263.  Size  Grades  for  Ripe  Olives. 

268.   Growing  and  Grafting  Olive  Seedlings. 

273.  Preliminary  Report  on  Kearney  Vine- 
yard Experimental  Drain,  Fresno 
County,    California. 

276.  The  Pomegranate. 

277.  Sudan   Grass. 

278.  Grain    Sorghums. 

279.  Irrigation   of  Rice  in   California. 
283.  The  Olive  Insects  of  California. 
294.  Bean   Culture  in   California. 

304.  A  Study  of  the  Effects  of  Freezes  on 

Citrus    in    California. 
310.  Plum    Pollination. 
312.  Mariout  Barley. 
813.   Pruning      Young      Deciduous      Fruit 

Trees. 
319.  Caprifigs    and    Caprification. 

324.  Storage  of   Perishable  Fruit  at  Freez- 

ing Temperatures. 

325.  Rice     Irrigation     Measurements     and 

Experiments    in    Sacramento   Valley, 

1914-1919. 
328.  Prune   Growing   in    California. 
331.   Phylloxera-Resistant    Stocks. 
335.   Cocoanut   Meal    as    a    Feed    for   Dairy 

Cows   and   Other  Livestock. 

339.  The    Relative    Cost    of    Making    Logs 

from   Small  and  Large  Timber. 

340.  Control     of     the     Pocket     Gopher     in 

California. 

343.  Cheese    Pests    and    Their    Control. 

344.  Cold    Storage   as   an   Aid   to   the   Mar- 

keting of  Plums. 

346.  Almond    Pollination. 

347.  The  Control  of  Red  Spiders  in  Decid- 

uous Orchards. 

348.  Pruning  Young  Olive  Trees. 

349.  A     Study    of    Sidedraft    and    Tractor 

Hitches. 
850.   Agriculture      in      Cut-over      Redwood 
Lands. 

353.  Bovine   Infectious   Abortion. 

354.  Results  of  Rice  Experiments  in    1922. 

357.  A    Self-mixing    Dusting    Machine    for 

Applying      Dry       Insecticides       and 
Fungicides. 

358.  Black    Measles,     Water    Berries,     and 

Related  Vine  Troubles. 

361.  Preliminary    Yield    Tables    for    Second 

Growth   Redwood. 

362.  Dust  and  the  Tractor  Engine. 

363.  The  Pruning  of  Citrus  Trees  in  Cali- 

fornia. 

364.  Fungicidal    Dusts    for    the    Control    of 

Bunt. 

365.  Avocado  Culture  in   California. 

366.  Turkish  Tobacco  Culture,   Curing  and 

Marketing. 

367.  Methods  of  Harvesting  and  Irrigation 

in   Relation  of  Mouldy  Walnuts. 

368.  Bacterial  Decomposition  of  Olives  dur- 

ing Pickling. 

369.  Comparison     of     Woods     for     Butter 

Boxes. 

370.  Browning  of  Yellow  Newtown  Apples. 

371.  The   Relative   Cost   of   Yarding   Small 

and   Large  Timber. 

373.  Pear   Pollination. 

374.  A  Survey  of  Orchard  Practices  in  the 

Citrus    Industry  of    Southern    Cali- 
fornia. 

375.  Results   of   Rice   Experiments   at  Cor- 

tena,    1923. 

376.  Sun-Drying  and  Dehydration  of  Wal- 

nuts. 

377.  The  Cold   Storage  of  Pears. 
379.  Walnut  Culture  in  California. 


BULLETINS 
No. 


380. 

382. 

385. 
386. 

387. 
388. 

389. 
390. 

391. 

392. 
393. 
394. 

395. 


397. 
398. 


400. 
401. 

402. 
404. 
405. 
406. 
407. 


408. 
409. 


410. 
411. 
412. 

414. 

415. 
416. 

417. 

418. 

419. 

420. 

421. 
422. 

423. 

424. 

425. 
426. 

427. 

428. 

429. 


Growth  of  Eucalyptus  in  California 
Plantations. 

Pumping  for  Drainage  in  the  San 
Joaquin    Valley,    California. 

Pollination    of    the    Sweet    Cherry. 

Pruning  Bearing  Deciduous  Fruit 
Trees. 

Fig  Smut. 

The  Principles  and  Practice  of  Sun- 
drying  Fruit. 

Berseem  or  Egyptian   Clover. 

Harvesting  and  Packing  Grapes  in 
California. 

Machines  for  Coating  Seed  Wheat  with 
Copper    Carbonate   Dust. 

Fruit    Juice    Concentrates. 

Crop  Sequences  at  Davis. 

Cereal  Hay  Production  in  California. 
Feeding  Trials  with  Cereal  Hay. 

Bark   Diseases   of  Citrus  Trees. 

The  Mat  Bean  (Phaseolus  aconitifo- 
lius). 

Manufacture  of  Roquefort  Type  Cheese 
from   Goat's  Milk. 

Orchard  Heating  in  California. 

The  Blackberry  Mite,  the  Cause  of 
Redberry  Disease  of  the  Himalaya 
Blackberry,    and   its   Control. 

The  Utilization  of  Surplus  Plums. 

Cost  of  Work  Horses  on  California 
Farms. 

The  Codling  Moth  in  Walnuts. 

The  Dehydration  of  Prunes. 

Citrus  Culture  in  Central  California. 

Stationary  Spray  Plants  in  California. 

Yield,  Stand  and  Volume  Tables  for 
White  Fir  in  the  California  Pine 
Region. 

Alternaria  Rot  of  Lemons. 

The  Digestibility  of  Certain  Fruit  By- 
products as  Determined  for  Rumi- 
nants. 

Factors  Affecting  the  Quality  of  Fresh 
Asparagus  after  it  is  Harvested. 

Paradichlorobenzene  as  a  Soil  Fumi- 
gant. 

A  Study  of  the  Relative  Values  of  Cer- 
tain Root  Crops  and  Salmon  Oil  as 
Sources  of  Vitamin  A  for  Poultry. 

Planting  and  Thinning  Distances  for 
Deciduous  Fruit  Trees. 

The  Tractor  on  California  Farms. 

Culture  of  the  Oriental  Persimmon 
in    California. 

Poultry  Feeding:  Principles  and 
Practice. 

A  Study  of  Various  Rations  for 
Finishing  Range  Calves  as  Baby 
Beeves. 

Economic  Aspects  of  the  Cantaloupe 
Industry. 

Rice  and  Rice  By-products  as  Feeds 
for   Fattening   Swine. 

Beef   Cattle   Feeding   Trials,    1921-24. 

Cost  of  Producing  Almonds  in  Cali- 
fornia; a  Progress  Report. 

Apricots  (Series  on  California  Crops 
and  Prices). 

The  Relation  of  Rate  of  Maturity  to 
Egg  Production. 

Apple   Growing  in   California. 

Apple  Pollination  Studies  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

The  Value  of  Orange  Pulp  for  Milk 
Production. 

The  Relation  of  Maturity  of  Cali- 
fornia Plums  to  Shipping  and 
Dessert    Quality. 

Economic  Status  of  the  Grape  Industry. 


No. 

87.  Alfalfa. 
117.  The    Selection    and    Cost   of    a    Small 

Pumping  Plant. 
127.  House    Fumigation. 
129.  The  Control  of  Citrus  Insects. 
136.  Melilotus    indica    as    a    Green-Manure 

Crop  for  California. 
144.  Oidium    or    Powdery    Mildew    of    the 

Vine. 
157.  Control  of  the  Pear  Scab. 
164.   Small  Fruit  Culture  in  California. 
166.  The  County  Farm  Bureau. 
170.   Fertilizing     California     Soils    for     the 

1918   Crop. 
173.  The    Construction    of   the   "Wood-Hoop 

Silo. 

178.  The   Packing  of  Apples  in   California. 

179.  Factors    of    Importance    in    Producing 

Milk  of  Low  Bacterial  Count. 

202.  County    Organizations   for   Rural    Fire 

Control. 

203.  Peat   as   a   Manure   Substitute. 
209.  The  Function  of  the  Farm  Bureau. 
212.   Salvaging    Rain-Damaged    Prunes. 
215.   Feeding  Dairy  Cows  in  California. 
217.  Methods   for   Marketing  Vegetables   in 

California. 

230.  Testing  Milk,    Cream,    and   Skim   Milk 

for  Butterfat. 

231.  The    Home    Vineyard. 

232.  Harvesting    and    Handling    California 

Cherries    for    Eastern    Shipment. 
234.  Winter  Injury  to  Young  Walnut  Trees 
during  1921-22. 

238.  The  Apricot  in   California. 

239.  Harvesting     and     Handling     Apricots 

and  Plums  for  Eastern  Shipment. 

240.  Harvesting    and    Handling    Pears    for 

Eastern   Shipment. 

241.  Harvesting  and  Handling  Peaches  for 

Eastern   Shipment. 

243.  Marmalade  Juice  and  Jelly  Juice  from 

Citrus  Fruits. 

244.  Central  Wire  Bracing  for  Fruit  Trees. 

245.  Vine   Pruning  Systems. 

248.  Some   Common    Errors    in   Vine  Prun- 

ing and  Their  Remedies. 

249.  Replacing    Missing    Vines. 

250.  Measurement   of   Irrigation   Water   on 

the  Farm. 

252.  Supports  for  Vines. 

253.  Vineyard  Plans. 

254.  The  Use  of  Artificial  Light  to  Increase 

Winter    Egg    Production. 

255.  Leguminous   Plants  as  Organic  Fertil- 

izer   in    California    Agriculture. 

256.  The   Control   of   Wild    Morning   Glory. 

257.  The  Small-Seeded  Horse  Bean. 

258.  Thinning  Deciduous   Fruits. 


CIRCULARS 
No. 
259. 
261. 
262. 
263. 
264. 


265. 
266. 

267. 

269. 
270. 
272. 

273. 
276. 
277. 

278. 

279. 

281. 


282. 

283. 
284. 
285. 
286. 
287. 
288. 
289. 
290. 
291. 

292. 
293. 
294. 
295. 

296. 

298. 

300. 
301. 
302. 
303. 

304. 
305. 
306. 

307. 
308. 
309. 


Pear  By-products. 

Sewing  Grain  Sacks. 

Cabbage  Growing  in   California. 

Tomato  Production  in  California. 

Preliminary      Essentials      to      Bovine 

Tuberculosis  Control. 
Plant   Disease  and  Pest   Control. 
Analyzing     the     Citrus     Orchard     by 

Means   of   Simple   Tree   Records. 
The  Tendency  of  Tractors  to   Rise  in 

Front;    Causes  and   Remedies. 
An  Orchard  Brush  Burner. 
A  Farm  Septic  Tank. 
California  Farm  Tenancy  and  Methods 

of  Leasing. 
Saving  the  Gophered  Citrus  Tree. 
Home  Canning. 
Head,    Cane,    and   Cordon   Pruning  of 

Vines. 
Olive  Pickling  in  Mediterranean  Coun- 
tries. 
The  Preparation  and  Refining  of  Olive 

Oil   in    Southern   Europe. 
The  Results  of  a  Survey  to  Determine 

the  Cost  of  Producing  Beef  in  Cali- 
fornia. 
Prevention  of  Insect  Attack  on  Stored 

Grain. 
Fertilizing  Citrus  Trees  in  California. 
The  Almond   in    California. 
Sweet  Potato  Production  in  California. 
Milk  Houses  for  California  Dairies. 
Potato   Production   in    California. 
Phylloxera  Resistant  Vineyards. 
Oak  Fungus  in  Orchard  Trees. 
The  Tangier  Pea. 
Blackhead  and   Other   Causes  of  Loss 

of  Turkeys  in   California. 
Alkali  Soils. 

The    Basis   of   Grape    Standardization. 
Propagation    of   Deciduous   Fruits. 
The   Growing   and   Handling  of   Head 

Lettuce  in   California. 
Control     of     the     California     Ground 

Squirrel. 
The    Possibilities    and    Limitations    of 

Cooperative  Marketing. 
Coccidiosis  of  Chickens. 
Buckeye  Poisoning  of  the  Honey  Bee. 
The   Sugar  Beet  in   California. 
A  Promising  Remedy  for  Black  Measles 

of  the  Vine. 
Drainage  on  the  Farm. 
Liming  the  Soil. 
A  General  Purpose  Soil  Auger  and  its 

Use  on  the  Farm. 
American   Foulbrood   and  its   Control. 
Cantaloupe  Production  in   California. 
Fruit  Tree  and   Orchard  Judging. 


The  publications  listed  above  may  be  had  by  addressing 

College  of  Agriculture, 

University  of  California, 

Berkeley,  California. 

12m-10,'27 


